


The Ex-Death Eater

by WitchyWriting (BIOgirl11)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Voldemort Wins, Angst, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Death Eaters, Elements of Mental Health Issues, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Good Draco Malfoy, Horcruxes, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Draco/Other Original Female Character, Original Character(s), POV Original Female Character, Performance Anxiety (concerning magic), Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, Resistance, Slow Burn, Temporary Magic Loss, The Order of the Phoenix is reformed, War, Wizarding World (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:27:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 24
Words: 62,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27016528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BIOgirl11/pseuds/WitchyWriting
Summary: “You remember the Order.”It was a statement, not a question. Almost everyone had whispered about the Order at some point or another when things had gotten really bad at the end, when secrecy hadn’t mattered anymore. I nodded.“Well…when Voldemort won…they were all hunted down, killed. But after…we’ve rebuilt.”“We?”Some mental health issues (mostly anxiety) are included in this story, but are not the main focus, just one of the narratives.Rated mature for later on sexual content, strong language, and graphic depictions of violence.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 69
Kudos: 52





	1. The Blond Wizard in the Coffeeshop

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all! This is the first chapter of who knows how many. Let me know what you think in the comments below and drop a Kudos if you'd like! :) Enjoy!

I tried to convince myself it wasn’t what I thought. That it was just someone else, that looked similar.

But that hair…that hair was unmistakeable. It was blowing softly in the wind as he sipped a coffee broodily. None of the gel he used to slap on and that made him look even more slimy.  
Draco Malfoy. Sipping a coffee in a muggle coffeeshop as if nothing had happened.

  
As if the wizarding world hadn’t crumbled two years ago. Harry had fought a brave fight, and his friends had tried to step in when he finally crumpled to the floor under the weight of Voldemort’s power. But there had been too many losses, too much fighting. In the end, the black writhing mass of Death Eaters had consumed the last of the light.  
Many had fled then, knowing that to stay would only mean suicide. I had fled too, feeling a churning mix of guilt, sadness, and something too strong to categorize. Maybe anger, maybe fear, maybe something in between.

  
Twenty eight months were enough to dull the immediate sting of loss, but definitely not enough to forget. In fact, I never knew if I’d forget. So, seeing him there, a reminder of that moment, made me stumble into the nearest wall of a run-down building.

Clutching my purse close to me. Inside was a wand I hadn’t used since that day, too scared that somehow, they might know, might find me.  
I toyed with the idea of just going up and sitting in front of him, just to see what happened. The fearful part in me squashed that idea just as fast as it surfaced. He had finished his coffee now anyway, and I watched him take out his wallet, and place a note on the table, trapping it under his empty cup, so that the wind didn’t snatch it away.  
In fact, the wind was now quite strong, whistling through metal parts on the building I leant on, and tossing the considerable leaf pile near the café across the sidewalks. A few leaves hit the now leaving figure, blond hair almost looking gelled back now, as the wind whipped past Draco’s ears.  
He seemed to pause a moment, as if rethinking, and indeed, did turn back to his table, grabbing the money he had left and slipping into the shop itself to hand it to the waitress. I watched him wave his hand as she moved to give him change, and then heard the bell jingle as he left again. He paused a moment to pull his long black trench coat shut around his chest, before carrying on down the street in his original intended direction.

  
I stood there for a moment after he disappeared around the corner. Did I follow? Did I run as fast as I could in the other direction?  
I decided on neither. The bell jingled again, this time louder, as I stepped into the coffeeshop. The same waitress Malfoy had paid gave me a tiny smile. I ordered a black coffee and took a seat at one of the smaller tables. When the waitress brought the coffee over, I plucked up the courage.

  
“Thanks. Hey, could I ask you something?”

  
She looked almost spooked, glancing sideways before giving the slightest nod. Even though things had calmed down a little now, when the Death Eaters had won, the muggle world had felt almost as much of their wrath as the wizarding world. Their reality had been ripped open and savaged as collateral damage of the wizarding war. Everyone lived in constant fear, as if ever awaiting another explosion.

  
Some muggles had been snatched when the Ministry fell to be kept as slaves, many had been killed for no other reason than they were no-mag that were in the way. Many of the non-pureblood witches and wizards had suffered similar fates. A world run by Voldemort held no place for anything but pure blood lineage. Hierarchic ideation at its finest.  
The dust had since settled, and the wizarding world seemed, for the moment, mostly uninterested by muggles. They had their uses after all, even if it was serving coffee. Even Death Eaters liked coffee.

  
“Um, sure.” She rolled the pen in her hand between trembling fingers.

  
“There was just a guy here. Light blond hair and a black trench coat? I was just wondering if he comes here often?”

  
She looked perplexed and a little panicked.

  
“We used to go to school together.” I tried to reassure her. And it wasn’t a lie. “I only saw him as he left and didn’t want to chase him down. Just wanted to know if I might see him here another day.”

  
The pen in her hand now tapped a frantic beat on her notepad.

  
“Um, yeah, sure. He comes in at least once a week, usually either Thursday or Friday.”

  
I thanked her and she quickly returned to the counter, tending to another client that had just walked in.  
I counted out the correct amount of coins, wondering if it had been worth the loss. I hadn’t had a running job since everything broke down, just a few week-long deals that had been paid under the table.

  
I pulled my fraying coat around me as I exited. It was getting darker, and clouds were gathering. Thunder rumbled in the distance. I started home, knowing it would probably start raining soon. Home was a tiny apartment that my parents had left me. It needed maintenance but I was just glad to have a roof over my head. However, I never used electricity, as I was never sure I could pay for it at the end of the month. I had a rainwater catcher in the tiny back yard.  
I locked the door behind me, shrugging off my coat and feeling around for the side table before dropping my keys there. I toed off my boots as my eyes adjusted to the dark. Once I could see the outline of the furniture I walked to my kitchen, where I always left candles and matches on the counter. The small warmth of the candles was welcome, as otherwise the house was freezing. I only lit enough to throw some light into the dark corners. Dinner was a can of baked beans that I heated on a portable camp stove.  
The bedsheets were freezing when I slipped under them, and I shivered until it finally warmed slightly.  
My usually horrendous nightmares of writhing black demons were exchanged this night. All I saw was a tall blond man, staring at me from across the road, coffee in hand and wind whipping around him like a gale.

  
I worked my current job with just a dash more interest than usual and tried to convince myself it wasn’t because I was trying to get to Thursday faster. I didn’t even know what I was going to do. Was I going to stand outside and creep like last time? Was I going to follow him when he left? Or confront him?  
I was lucky my job was monotonous, or all my musing may have affected my performance.

  
Thursday came stormy and cold. I woke already shivering. Autumn was starting to creep into my house, bringing its cold winds with it. Not being able to turn on a heater was going to kill me. It was still dark when I jammed my legs into the warmest pair of leggings I owned, and a loose pair of dark jeans over those. Then a shirt and a hoodie and a sweater. Before I left, I took some coins from my small stash, and pulled on a windbreaker.  
I arrived at the building I had stumbled against when I first saw Malfoy within a few minutes. It was a wonder I’d never spotted him before. But London was big and busy, and I didn’t often come this way.

  
I shivered as the first drop of rain splattered onto my nose. I didn’t know whether to go into the shop or not. Would he recognize me? I hadn’t been popular at Hogwarts. I hadn’t known Harry or Ron or Hermione, nor shared much time with any of the other Weasleys. The only person I had talked to on occasion had been Luna. We had shared some notes once for Divination classes.

  
My heart clenched as I remembered Hogwarts. I shook my head, trying to gather my thoughts and make a decision. I heard a church’s bells in the distance signalling nine o’clock.  
I had no idea what time Malfoy usually came to the café or indeed if he would even show today. Stomach knotted, I left my lurking spot in the shadows, and crossed the road into the coffee shop. The waitress didn’t seem to even recognize me as I asked for a coffee and a small slice of banana bread. Might as well eat if I was here.  
I was halfway through the morning paper that I had nabbed off an empty table next to mine when I heard the doorbell jingle as someone walked in. I glance in the direction of the noise and started.

  
There he was, long black trench coat sparkling with tiny rain droplets. He mumbled something to the waitress and took off his coat, hanging it by the door. Underneath, he was wearing a tight turtleneck sweater in a deep mossy green, tucked in the front of his tailored pants. He then made his way to the table where the waitress had already placed his order. It was frothy and steamed slightly. I jammed up the newspaper between us, peeking around the side every once and a while to check on what he was up to.  
Every time I looked it was much the same. He sipped his mug in silence, not looking very engaged. Being this close, I could now see he had a short beard, which was hard to see from far away because of how white his hair was. His hair was longer, just brushing his shoulders now. A black ring glinted from his ear. I raised an eyebrow. I hadn’t expected him to be the piercing type. Or rather, I hadn’t expected his overbearing father to allow it.

  
He had finished his coffee. He glanced around and I straightened out the paper so he couldn’t see me behind it. When I let the corner dip back down, he was pulling on his coat and opening the door. I hastily slammed down the newspaper and nearly threw the coins at the bewildered waitress, shoving my arms through my windbreaker as I struggled with the door. When I finally got outside, I just caught a glimpse of a blond head before he turned the corner. Cursing the torrential rain, I pulled up my hood and started after him at a brisk pace. I guess I was going to follow him.

  
I followed at what I though was a safe distance, trying to figure out what the hell I was doing.  
I suddenly realised that he had stopped and gone up the small stairwell to a door. He was fiddling with some keys, but suddenly desisted, reaching into his other pocket. He pulled out the source of his distraction, a phone. It was weird, why did he go to muggle cafés and have a muggle communication device?  
He picked up the call and I watching him put his hand to his other ear to block out the noise of the rain and wind. He seemed angry, shouting into the electronic device, although I couldn’t hear what he said over the storm’s noise. His hair was dripping, heavy boots repelling the drops. I had just started to feel the rain soaking through my socks when he hung up and turned, scowling, and left his doorstep, continuing past it into an alleyway. I quickly glanced at the door as I passed it too, making a mental note of the number. Thirteen, ironic.

  
The wind died as I stepped into the alleyway, where I could just see him coming out the other side and turning left. I rushed down the street to catch up, nearly slipping as I turned left at the end of it. Even though it was still mid-morning, the rain made it feel late, and the dark crept out of the corners, spindly fingers reaching. I hadn’t noticed that there had been less and less people as we walked. I now only saw Draco, and one other person. I quickly retracted behind the alley wall before they noticed me. They talked in hushed voices and I could sense the urgency from where I stood. I tried to understand what was going on from their body language, which is why I knew something was wrong before Malfoy did.  
I saw the flash of an unknown spell, and I watched the blond man crumple to the ground. The other person was anonymous, a dark hood over their head. They calmly placed their wand back into their robes and left, dark material swishing ominously behind them. I waited until I was sure they were gone. Making a decision I would most likely regret, I slipped out from behind the wall, jogging over the body on the ground.

  
Hand shaking, I pulled his shoulder back, half expecting to find him dead. Blood was soaking into the green wool, but his eyes fluttered as he realized I was there.

  
“I’m going to help you. Where do you live?” I asked as if I hadn’t just stalked him home moments ago.

  
He weakly mumbled “Street back that way, number…13.”

  
I nodded and helped him sit, then stand, flinging his arm around my shoulder, where he leaned heavily. He was bleeding a lot and I just hope I could get him there before he passed out. And without anyone seeing us. We limped our way back through the alley, which seemed much longer now. Luckily, the heavy rain had kept most people indoors, and we only saw one person off in the distance, running with his briefcase over his head. Draco’s keychain only had two keys on it, so it was easy to figure out which one opened the door, which was good because he was very close to collapsing.

  
We all but fell through the door as it opened, the redoubled efforts of the rain and wind producing small dark water drops on the carpet in front of the door. I made sure he was propped against the wall before turning to shut the door and lock it. I slipped the key into my pocket, just in case, picking Malfoy’s arm back up and slinging it over my shoulder.

  
“Kitchen?” I inquired.

  
“On the right.” I just heard him mumble.

  
I tried to lower him into the first chair I found as carefully as I could, but almost tipped it over. He was heavier than his lanky build let on. I grabbed scissors and the biggest bowl I could find, turning his tap to hot and letting it run until it steamed in the cold air. I set the bowl on the table next to him and set to snipping open his clothes. His torso was raw and ripped open in parts as I pushed his ruined sweater off his shoulders.

  
I wasn’t sure if I wanted him to know I was a witch, if he didn’t already know who I was. But I pulled out my wand from the back of my belt and pointed it at his chest.

  
“ _Vulnera Sanentur_ ” I mumbled. For a moment it seemed like nothing would happen, but then the wounds started to slowly knit together. It would be a while before it was fully healed underneath, but as his skin knitted together with new, pink tissue, I wiped away the blood on the surface. His head lolled as he fought to stay conscious.

  
Blood cleaned, I dumped the contents of the bowl into the sink, rinsing everything off quickly before turning back to the pale figure slumped in the chair. What the fuck was I doing? Malfoy had always been an asshole at school. He’d turned that hate into real, dangerous behaviour when he became a Death Eater. Before that I’d thought maybe, one day, when he got away from his father, he’d become a better person. But he hadn’t got the chance. I found I still pitied him, to an extent. I knew a father like Lucius wouldn’t have allowed Draco to choose any other path. But he had still chosen it. Still killed.

  
A groan from the chair pulled my mind back to the present. Malfoy had his head in his hands.  
I stood there, frozen in panic. What was I going to do? I thought he would have fallen unconscious. That I could have escaped then. But, as I watched, fingers gripping the counter behind me so tight my nails hurt, he swayed to his feet, bracing himself on the edge of the table.

  
One grey eye peeked out at me from under a sheet of silvery hair. “Who are you?”

  
Something in me relaxed. He didn’t recognize me. This was good. He knew I was a witch, but I could play pureblood.

  
“Kate Hill.” I lied.

  
His eyes screwed shut in pain as he hovered over the table edge.

  
“You shouldn’t move too much. You’re still healing inside.”

  
He glared at me. Ah, there was the Malfoy she knew. “Why did you help me?”

  
“Well, you were hurt, why wouldn’t I?” Inside my chest my heart was pounding. I wondered if he could hear it, it sounded so loud.

  
He straightened now to his full height. He was taller than she remembered. He was also covered in tattoos. That was definitely new too. “Because the only way anyone would have come through that glamoured alleyway was if they were already following me.”

  
Well shit. My heart threatened to burst. “I…I thought maybe I recognized you.” As soon as I’d said it, I regretted it. He’d look closer now, maybe he would have seen me around the corridors of Hogwarts.

  
He sauntered towards were I stood at the counter, shoulders still slumped in pain. “Really?” His grey eyes were dangerous. “Because I’m pretty sure I do recognize you. In fact, I think it would be easier to place you if I pictured Justin Finch-Fletchley grinding into you in a dark corner in Hogwarts.”

  
I cringed. Justin was a nice guy, but he’d been rather rabbit like in his displays of affection. I’d broken that disaster up after two agonizingly embarrassing months. More to the point, I was in trouble here, he knew who I was, he knew I was a half-witch. I watched him warily, mind trying to grasp at ideas on how to get out of this.

  
A small smirk at the side of his mouth. “Don’t worry Iona. I’m not going to turn you in.”

  
My brain was confused now. “What? But you’re a Death Eater.”

  
His sudden move of his arm made me flinch, expecting a curse to bound out of his wand. When nothing came, my eyes lowered to his offered limb. There, on his forearm, where his Death Eater mark had been, was a nasty looking burn. The skin was twisted and rough, puckering at the edges.

  
“Not anymore Croft.” Well damn, he even knew her last name. Maybe she hadn’t been as invisible as she thought.

  
“So…”

  
“You have nothing to fear from me today, Croft.” He sounded tired. “You can stay out the storm if you want. I’m…I’m gonna…” He teetered on the spot and I found myself stepping forward and accommodating his weight against my smaller frame. I was by no means svelte or short, but Draco’s lanky frame made me feel small. “…get some sleep.” I heard him murmur the rest of his sentence.

  
Hoisting him so his arm draped over my shoulder, I wrapped my other arm around his waist, fingers meeting half-hidden scars and warm skin. We struggled up the stairs he indicated, finally clearing the landing just as my legs started to shake. I wasn’t sure whether it was fatigue, stress, or the fact that he had been leaning on me harder ever passing second. “Iona my legs are going to give out.” He mumbled as we pushed into his room. I dragged him to the foot of the bed, where he gave up in earnest, falling sideways into his sheets, long silvery hair splaying out around his face, covering it. I looked on from the end of the bed, unsure what the fuck I had gotten myself into. Resigning myself, I circled to the side of the bed he was closest to and hooked my hands under his arms, hoisting him up so his long legs no longer dangled weirdly and rested firmly on the mattress. He reacted, curling in further into a fetal position, looking so pale and vulnerable. I pulled his hair away so it wasn’t laying over his face, flinging it up against his pillow. His expression was unschooled, unconscious, and so much softer without his usual sneer. This was definitely not a Malfoy I knew. Hesitating just for a moment, I reached for a blanket from the foot of his bed and covered his cooling body, which had begun to shake. The room was freezing.

  
The material of the blanket was heavy and rich in my fingers. A blanket like this would keep me way warmer than what I currently had. I pushed down the sudden spike of envy, of hate, of unfairness.

  
The wind lashed rain at the window, pulling me out of my reverie. Malfoy had said I could stay out the storm. But should I? Every experience since Voldemort’s victory screamed for me to leave. To return to my anonymity in my freezing apartment, to never walk the way of that coffeeshop again. Another, smaller part of me, less emotional, wanted to see where this would lead. Maybe it was a more suicidal part of me. I glanced back to the sleeping man, his ribs expanding and deflating consistently as he slept. He didn’t look very threatening. He’s killed a lot of people. I huffed in frustration at my warring mind.

  
I glanced to the door of the bedroom and figured at least I’d have a look around. The house creaked a bit against the storm, but for the rest it was silent. A bit of snooping upstairs revealed a small cramped bathroom that still managed to have a bathtub, a tiny room where I spotted a desk, an unlit oil lamp, a quill and a stack of papers lazily gathered at the edge of the surface. I frowned. The Malfoy I knew at Hogwarts would always have had his items perfectly aligned, neatly stacked, impeccably organized.

  
I popped my head back out the room, spinning to go downstairs. The kitchen was still dark. I could hear water dripping, so I made sure to crank the tap closed. On the other side of the corridor was the last unexplored room. A small sitting room partially lit up from the streetlamp outside, revealing a small plush loveseat and a high-backed armchair. A large fireplace was cold and unused. I spotted the floo powder to the left. Outside, thunder rumbled, and lightning flickered to life. I felt unusually nervous about the storm. It didn’t feel like a normal one.

  
I guess I’d made up my mind. I’d stay at least to ride out the storm. After that well…it was anyone’s guess.


	2. When Death Eaters Come Knocking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Publishing a few chapters now, as I will be away from my computer next week! Leave a comment and a Kudos if you'd like :)

A plate scraping against marble woke me.

Momentary panic, then I stilled realizing where I was. Then I panicked again. Malfoy.

I peered over the armchair’s height, spotting the Malfoy heir, back to her, doing something in the kitchen.

Did he even know she was still here? As if on cue, he half-turned, locking eyes with her.

“You any good at making coffee?”

“I…uh…yeah sure.” I stumbled off the loveseat, leaving the warmth of the blanket I had found behind.

As I approached, I realized he was divvying up pancakes onto two plates. I just stared.

“Croft?” I blinked, raising my gaze to his. “Coffee?”

I nodded in a jerking movement, wondering for a second if I was still sleeping. I turned to the percolator, fetching a filter and coffee grounds. Machine bubbling comfortingly in the background, I turned back to the table, where Malfoy was placing the plates. Maybe I’d officially gone insane.

He looked pale and I noticed his movements were still stiff and jerky. I couldn’t see how his wounds looked as he now wore a velvet-looking long sleeve blouse in a deep orange color. I realized he was looking at me now.

“I think the coffee is ready.” He drawled, familiar smirk gracing his features.

“Coffee. Right.” I spun back around, calming my shaking hands.

I was having pancakes and coffee with the enemy. He was the enemy. Right?

I slammed the mugs down a little too hard when I reached the table, and Malfoy raised one perfectly shaped eyebrow at me.

“Sorry.”

I fell gracelessly into the chair.

Malfoy was already cutting into his stack of pancakes. Not knowing what else to do, I followed suit. Looking at the triangle-sized morsel on the end of my fork, I wonder if he had poised the syrup. Then I wondered if I cared. The puckered, burnt skin of his once Death Eater mark flashed through my mind. I slipped the fork between my teeth.

I choked back the impulse to groan. The bloody pancakes were divinely fluffy and the syrup was sweet and rich. It was the best thing I had tasted since…everything.

Even the banana bread at the café, a rare treat, had been too dry and bland.

I opened my eyes, not having realized I’d shut them in the first place, and found the blond man across from me watching me, a tiny smirk at the corner of his lips again.

“Good?”

“I haven’t…good food has been hard to come by.” I mumbled, feeling, stupidly enough, ashamed.

The smirk dissipated, and he looked away to sip his coffee.

He didn’t grimace at it, so I guess I could make a decent brew.

It was my turn to watch him as he focused on cutting his pancakes. He really looked different. More mature, more world-weary. His hair was more monotone now, silverish, gone was the light hay-colored hair he used to have. A few crow’s feet even creased near his eyes when he sipped again, no doubt from stress, not the wear of time. The beard was jarring, having always associated the image of Malfoy to a greasy-haired, slick, clean-shaven boy. He wasn’t any of that anymore.

The ring in his ear lobe caught my eye again and I realized he had a few more, smaller rings leading up the conch of his ear. Under his right ear a small tattoo just barely peeked out between his hair – a tiny serpent.

“Did you work at a tattoo parlor or something?” I blurted out.

His grey eyes met mine over the rim of his mug. Why the hell had I asked that?

“No. But I visited one. Various times.”

“What does your father think of that?” God I really need to learn to shut the hell up. But being so long without someone to talk to…it was like a dam had broken and I couldn’t stop the gush of conversation.

He flinched quite visibly.

“Fuck off Croft.”

He stabbed his last bit of pancake quite menacingly.

“I…I’m sorry. That was a really stupid thing to say.” I clenched my hands around the coffee mug, hoping it would make them stop shaking. The next few minutes were torturously quiet.

Outside snow was falling, uncharacteristically early for the year, which made the silence all the more deafening.

“Yes.” He confirmed. “Why don’t I ask some questions? Where have you been? What have you been doing? How’d you survive?”

I felt overwhelmed, but was happy to keep talking at least, in a safer manner.

“I’ve been working shitty muggle jobs to keep my head above water. I…have a tiny apartment my parents left me. Its freezing cold and I can’t pay my bills for electricity, so I use candles and a camping stove.”

Silence again. “What kind of shitty jobs?” His voice had an edge to it.

“Manual labor where they’d take a girl. Packaging drugs for a while. I…tried escorting once. I didn’t like it. I quit.”

“Escorting?” He seemed unfamiliar with the term.

“Going out with men that pay you to look good and have a conversation with them. Some only want that, some…overstep.”

“I’m assuming the one you escorted overstepped.” His face was schooled and blank, but his voice lacked its usual smugness.

“Um…yeah. He insisted usually for that fee the girl would at least-” I snapped my jaw shut before I said it.

Malfoy didn’t seem to need the full sentence to understand.

“I had my wand, but I was too afraid to use it. So, I kicked him as hard as I could and ran.”

“Why afraid to use it?”

“I feel like if I do, Voldemort will track me down somehow. Someone will know.”

“You used it on me.” He got up to fetch the rest of the coffee, refilling her cup too.

“I didn’t feel I had a choice. Also, this is your house, I’m assuming you use magic all the time. But magic coming from some abandoned looking rickety two story or some random dingy restaurant? That might be worth looking into.”

The new batch of coffee was still warm. He remained quiet for a moment.

“I appreciate it.”

Knowing it was a miracle I was even getting that much of a thank you, I just nodded.

“I should go.” I rose, taking the plate and mug to the sink and rinsing them off. I swiveled back, holding the counter behind me for support.

“Thanks for letting me stay out the storm. And for the pancakes and coffee.” Malfoy just looked at her, face impassive, body leaning slightly to the left, into the table.

Squashing the awkwardness I felt, I pushed upright and made my way to the door. I don’t know what I was expecting.

For him to ask me to stay? That was a stupid supposition.

We weren’t friends, no matter how obliterated his Dark Mark was.

Outside, the snow was blinding and fresh. I pulled my coat around me, boots crunching in the powder as I walked back the way I had come yesterday. The café was dark and closed when I passed it.

A stray cat watched me warily as I entered the alleyway. A dog barked and howled as I reached my house. I forced the key into the semi-frozen lock and stepped inside, familiar semi-damp smell hitting me.

Had any of that even happened? I wasn’t sure.

The next morning I hauled myself out of bed, stiff from cold.

I had to look for work again. I felt like screaming. But I had hardly anything saved up, and I’d need to buy food and another gas canister for the camping cooker soon. I cursed, shoving my already cold feet into my boots, followed by my still damp coat.

Grabbing my wand and tucking it in my coat’s interior pocket, I turned the keys I had left in the door, unlocking and opening it.

There, in the snow, was a silver haired man. He looked up at me as I stood in the doorway, mouth slightly ajar. I promptly snapped it shut.

“How the hell did you find me?”

His familiar smirk pulled the corner of his mouth. “Not that difficult with magic, love.”

Pushing past the weirdness of Malfoy saying a word such as ‘love’ I pulled my door shut behind me.

“What do you want, exactly?” I descended the stairs, pulling my coat closer. On the last step I was at his height.

“You said you…were struggling. I wanted to come with a proposition, but I needed time to run it past my colleagues last night.” He seemed nervous now, fidgety.

“What kind of a proposition? I have work to find Malfoy.”

“Well if you agree to this, you won’t.” He glanced behind me. “Can we talk inside?”

I balked at the thought of Malfoy, a rich and proper wizard, setting foot in my damp, freezing house.

“I…”

“Good.” He slipped past me, heading up the stairs before opening the door and disappearing inside. In my confusion I hadn’t even locked it.

Cursing, I followed him up, closing it behind me.

His coat was on the bench near the entrance. I dropped mine there too, craning my neck to see where he had gotten off to as I took off my boots, leaving them next to a large pair of shiny boots.

“Malfoy where are you-” I stopped mid-sentence as I spotted him, standing in the tiny sitting room.

He turned to me, and I was ashamed to see a flash of pity in his eyes before they returned to his normal indifference.

“Maybe we could sit?” He suggested when I didn’t say anything.

“Um yeah. Sure. I’d offer coffee but…well I don’t have any.”

“It’s fine Croft.” He folded his long legs up onto one of the chairs.

I felt my skin burn. This house was an embarrassment compared to his. I couldn’t even imagine it compared to his family’s manor estate. But I sat, crossing my legs and grasping them with my hands to stop them from shaking.

“So, the proposition?” I nudged when I found him staring into the empty fireplace.

“You remember the Order.”

It was a statement, not a question. Almost everyone had whispered about the Order at some point or another when things had gotten really bad at the end, when secrecy hadn’t mattered anymore. I nodded.

“Well…when Voldemort won…they were all hunted down, killed. But after…we’ve rebuilt.”

“We?”

“I can go into more detail later, for now we need to talk about the most important parts.” He uncrossed his legs, leaning forward. “Would you be interested in joining? It’s dangerous, its ungrateful work, but you’ll have a better roof over your head, people to talk to, you won’t have to worry where your next meal is coming from. You’d never have to…escort.”

I didn’t miss the change in his tone on the last part. He really was hung up on the idea of escorting.

“Why me though?” I asked warily.

“You think we don’t need everyone we can get?” He ran his hand through his mess of silky hair, tucking half of it behind one ear.

“I’m sure there’s other witches and wizards you haven’t asked.”

“Of course there are. But you were particularly proficient in combat and healing magic if I remember correctly. And I know for certain on which side you stand.”

I remembered then, we’d shared a few classes in 5th year. We’d never spoken, never paired up to do group work, but he seemed to remember me all the same.

“Croft?”

Malfoy’s voice floated back into focus. I realized I had spaced out, thinking about Hogwarts. I shivered.

“Right, so, what’s the catch?”

“No catch other than the risk involved.”

His eyebrow arched as I shivered again. The cold was getting worse in this place.

“I can give you a few days to decide, Croft, but you might freeze in the meantime.”

I scowled at him. “Just…give me a minute. It’s a lot to process.”

“Sure.” He stood smirked, pacing around to the kitchen.

I didn’t even care about the mess anymore. My brain was going a mile a minute.

Was there still hope? I had lived a hopeless, pitiful life since the victory of the Dark Lord, but now…now I felt a flame of rebellion spark inside. What did I, realistically, have to lose? Not much, really. Could I trust someone like Malfoy? He obviously wasn’t a Death Eater anymore, he’d made that much clear. I stood to find him.

“I…” My mouth snapped shut.

Malfoy stood, in my kitchen, one slender finger over is lips in a gesture of silence. He gestured to me and I tip-toed to him, wondering what was going on.

“Death Eaters, outside, five.”

“What?” I hissed.

“Fuck I don’t know where they came from Iona. Maybe they followed me?” His voice trailed off.

“Whatever, what do we do?”

I almost screamed when a particularly loud knock sounded at the door.

“Don’t answer. Is there a back door?”

“Into a small terrace yes, connected to a tiny alley.”

“Is there anything you absolutely need to take? Think quickly.” He looked worriedly at the door.

“Just my wand, my shoes, I don’t have much.” I whispered.

We could hear the Death Eaters talking to one another outside. He pulled out his own wand, flicking it. My shoes, coat and bag floated over to us, and I bent to shove my feet in the boots. His own shoes and coat were on him now, and I shrugged my coat on, double-checking to make sure my wand was there in my bag. I had other things in the house I’d like to take, but there was no time. He pulled me along to the door that led out back just as the banging on the door restarted.

“You there, Miss Croft? We just want to have a chat!” Sure they did.

Just before we stepped outside, my mind remembered one last thing I couldn’t leave without. I ran back into the living room, grabbing a photo frame and stuffing it into my coat pocket.

Malfoy watched but didn’t comment, ushering me out the door and shutting it behind us. The banging on the front door had stopped now, and I counted to three before we heard a loud bang, no doubt the door being broken down. One last glance at my tiny terrace, with the few plants I had kept alive, and we were weaving down the alleyway between boxes and trashcans. We spilled out on the other side, ducking quickly to the side in case they had already reached the alley and might catch a glimpse of them. Malfoy extended his hand and, unthinking, I grabbed it as we raced through the now crowded street, startling a few muggles along the way. We ran until I couldn’t keep up with Draco’s long stride any more, and I started to flag. He realized and glanced back, slowing to a fast walk.

“You ok?”

“Yeah…just…need to rest.” I gasped. He looked mildly annoyed but had the decency to not say anything.

“Just a bit further, I know someone at this café.” I looked around for the first time since we left the alley.

We had somehow doubled back towards the café where I had first spotted him. It was a good few blocks from my place but I was still nervous, unsure if they even knew what I looked like, if they could spot me from afar. The little bell jingled as we entered the café. Malfoy ignored the waitress and headed to the end of the counter, where a man stood, drying a glass like they did in old Westerns.

“John.” Malfoy greeted, catching the man’s attention.

“We need some help.” The man looked me up and down, suspicion leaking into his dark features.

“Who’s she?”

“New recruit. We need an out. They’re after us.” Malfoy placed a pouch of something on the counter.

“Well alright then, come on back.” He gestured, lifting the counter so we could duck under.

I followed Draco through the door, stomach spiking with fear as it shut behind us.

Could I truly trust these people? The man named John pushed past us, leading us to the end of a corridor, where there was a single, crystal decanter on a table.

“One-way portkey, untraceable.” He said, looking to Malfoy.

“I’m sorry to have to ask you for it, John. I’ll be back in a few days, to the usual spot.” He clapped the man on the shoulder in gratitude.

“No worries, Mr. Malfoy. You just keep safe.” He looked to me, and then left us, ambling back down the corridor and shutting the door behind him.

The café noises were instantly muted.

“Untraceable portkey?” I asked, confused.

“I’ll explain every in a bit, Croft. Give me your hand.” He extended his own, pale fingers trembling slightly in the dim light.

I met his grey eyes, and then took his hand, immediately feeling the familiar lurch near my navel that came with portkey travel. Then, we were standing in a cosy entryway.

“Where are we?” I asked, nausea from the travel dissipating as my curiosity spiked.

“A safehouse.” He answered, removing his coat and shoes.

I followed suit, glancing around. There were at least five other coats hanging, and the bench seemed to have a lot more pairs of shoes stacked under it. There was a sisal rug that was a little muddy, and a few umbrellas stacked against the wall. I glanced at the door leading to the rest of the house as it opened. Through it stepped a tall woman in a green dress.

“Draco! We weren’t expecting you!” She seemed happy to see him.

“Oh, and you brought…company.” Her glee seemed to drop. “Who is this?”

Obviously these hadn’t been the colleagues that Draco had talked to about admitting me to the ‘New Order’.

“Mary, this is Iona Croft. I’ve recruited her. Well, I haven’t explained much, but she knows the basics. She’s a great combat magician and healer. I was going to explain more before I brought her but…well, something came up and we had to make a quick exit.”

“Did you come from the café?” She inquired, stepping in behind him as he led the way into the house.

I followed up behind, staring at the paintings on the wall. They depicted hunting scenes, long-dead families standing in front out their manors, medicinal plant charts. All of them were still. Muggle paintings.

Through the door, a large but welcoming living space stretched out, plush couches and armchairs in various sections. A low fire was crackling in the large hearth, above which hung a huge, scuffed, gilt-framed mirror. Weird items like skulls and pinned butterflies called my interest from across the room, but I followed the pair in front of me through a corridor and to the right into a kitchen. It was a galley kitchen but had an area at the end with tall windows and a long table. At the table there were two people sitting, sipping what looked like tea or coffee. They looked up as we approached.

“Ah Malfoy, good to see ya!” A man with ginger hair rose his mug in greeting. “Want some coffee?”

The other person was a girl that looked younger than me, hair jet black and eyes to match. “Who’s this?” She inquired, pulling the ginger man’s gaze to me too.

“This is Iola” Mary said, taking a seat. “It’s Iona actually.” I corrected quietly.

“Iona is a recruit.” Malfoy slid onto the bench next to the black-haired girl, gesturing for me to sit next to him.

The other man shoved two mugs of steaming coffee our way and glanced towards Mary, poised to pour another. She shook her head.

“A recruit eh? Come to join our noble cause then.” The man chuckled.

“Well…yes.” I answered, unsure what to say.

“I’ve not had a proper moment to tell her the details. We had to make a quick portkey exit. Death Eaters somehow found her house. I’m not sure if I was followed. We might need to look at moving our operations soon.” Malfoy explained, taking a sip, and grimacing as if he’d burnt his tongue.

“Shit, again?” The man lamented. Malfoy nodded slowly.

I realized he hadn’t said anything about him being attacked yet by that person. And with all of it I hadn’t remembered to ask. I wondered why, but filed it away to question later.

I sipped my coffee and realized why Malfoy had grimaced. It was very strong coffee.

“I’m sure Draco has told you a bit about who we are and…what we stand for.” Mary piped up from opposite me.

“Yes. That you’re like the Order, fighting Voldemort, right?”

“That’s about it.” The girl with black hair said from beside Malfoy. “I’m Pippa by the way.” She pointed to the other man. “He’s Kif.” Kif smiled at me.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m sorry if I’m a bit awkward. Besides Draco I haven’t had a decent conversation with anyone for a while.” I stilled my shaking hands under the table, glancing at him.

His eyes were on my hands before they flitted back up, he hadn’t missed my nervousness.

“We know each other from Hogwarts.” He offered.

“Ah how I miss that school.” Kif lamented.

“You studied there?” I asked. Finishing my coffee in one big gulp.

“Indeed, I did. Hufflepuff tried and true!” He grinned through his beard.

“Iona was a Hufflepuff too.” Draco mentioned, finishing his own drink.

“Well, I’m in good company then!” Kif laughed. I found I liked him, he seemed carefree.

I smiled at him, finding it was not forced.

Malfoy rose then, taking everyone’s mugs over to the sink, rinsing them and setting them out to dry. I sat there, unsure what to say, but Mary and Kif soon started talking about needing to get supplies soon, so the silence was broken. I looked back at Malfoy as he placed the last mug to dry, grabbing a towel and drying his hands. He glanced at me, silvery hair halfway over his face.

“I think I’ll show Iona a room, if that’s ok with you.”

“Sure, we’ll see you in a bit.” Kif waved, pulling out a cigarette.

I just caught Pippa’s voice as I exited the kitchen behind Malfoy. “You’re not going to smoke that here are you?”

We followed the corridor and I feel into step with him. He pointed to the next door we passed.

“That’s a loo.”

Then another door on the other side. “That’s the library.”

I wanted to peek inside, but we continued past it, reaching a flight of steps. Three landings up, we turned into another corridor with three doors. Draco walked to the last one, turning the knob and stepping inside. I followed, pausing at the entrance. The room was modest but warm and dry. It had a small window at the far end, with a desk pushed up against it. To the left, a single bed was pushed against the wall, with a bare mattress and a folded duvet at the foot of it. A trunk for clothes sat against the other wall, with a few forgotten books and an unlit oil lamp on top.

“It’s small, but it’s warm and it’s got everything you need.” Malfoy’s voice reminded me he was still standing there.

“It’s perfect.” I breathed, overwhelmed.

I watched him pull his wand from his pocket and wave it at the bed. The duvet rose and a sheet apparated, tucking itself around the mattress. Then, a cover for the duvet and a pillow, which laid themselves down neatly on top.

“You don’t have to fear using magic here.” He explained. “We know they can track travel magic, like floo powder, apparition, and normal portkeys. Most normal methods of communication aren’t safe. We’re not sure they can detect other magic, so we try to play it safe. There’s wards all around here.”

“Is that why you had a muggle cellphone?” I remembered.

“Ah, yes. It’s a throwaway phone, we use them only when necessary. We don’t think Death Eaters even think about them. Even if they did, since its not magic they can’t trace it like they can our normal methods of communication. We get phones with no GPS either so they can’t ‘see’ that. Owls can work, but it’s always a little suspicious. I have a raven. Less conspicuous, but I still don’t use him for sensitive messages.”

“You said normal portkeys? The one we had wasn’t normal?” I asked as he flipped open one of the books on the trunk.

“It had a few more cloaking enchantments on it, and was one-way, single use. Also, only someone who already knew where the safehouse is would get transported here. Otherwise, it would have simply taken us to a house we use as a bait house when necessary. It’s got some magical books and items, but nothing of import.”

I walked towards the window, glancing out it. I was met with a breath-taking view of a dense forest canopy.

“Where are we actually?”

“Scotland.” He answered. I turned to find him leaning on the wall, facing me.

“And the house you were in?”

“It’s mine. I usually am there, although I have a room here too. But the house can move, when necessary.”

“Move?” I glanced down at the desk now, where there was a small stack of unused parchment and a worn looking quill.

“The inside stays the same, the location can move, as does the outside of the house. It works a lot like the Undetectable Extension Charm.”

“That’s pretty advanced magic.” I turned back to him, perplexed.

“Yes. I may have been on the wrong path in Hogwarts, but I’m not stupid, Croft.”

“I didn’t ever think you were stupid. Just…distasteful.”

He chuckled, an unfamiliar sound. “Fair enough. Shall I show you around the rest?”

“Yeah sure, let me just-” I pulled out the picture I had grabbed last second from my coat pocket, placing it on the beside next the newly made bed.

That was it, all my possessions dropped off.

I glanced at the sheets, cheeks rather warm. “Did you choose the sheets, or?”

“Yeah, why?” He asked, sounding perplexed.

“I like the colour.” I mused, turning to him.

“Uh…great.”

He stepped towards the door and I followed him, leaving the pumpkin coloured sheets behind. On the same landing there was a small bathroom with a tiny bathtub which Draco informed me was pretty much mine because there wasn’t anyone else on this level. He stopped at the other door, opening it.

“This one’s empty right now.”

Then we headed up the last flight of stairs to the top level. There was one single door there, which he opened and walked through.

“This is my room when I stay here.” It was quite similar to mine, but was a semi-circle and had two windows instead of one. His bed was a double and when he flicked his wand, moss green sheets quickly made themselves. “And that-” he pointed towards a large wardrobe at the far end. “-is the way to my house.”

“Do you live in Narnia?” I asked, stifling a smile at his weird look.

“What?”

“Never mind, it’s a muggle story where kids go into a wardrobe and find a fantasy world.”

He just stared at me for a moment. “Right. That’s a Vanishing Cabinet.”

A flash of something in his grey eyes caught my attention. It looked almost like guilt.

“Something else they can’t trace, I take?”

“Yes.”

We both fell silent then and I glanced around as he waved his wand, opening curtains and vanishing some dust. A small mirror on his desk caught my eye. For all his youthful boastfulness and general lack of compassion, he didn’t strike me as someone that would stare at himself, and I couldn’t think of another reason he might have it. The quill on his desk was a sleek black one, and his ink was held in a tiny skull-shaped bottle.

“Did you make you quill from your raven’s feather?” I asked, sitting on the edge of the bed as he busied around.

“How’d you know?” He looked honestly confused.

“Just a guess.”

“Oh, here you are.” Pippa’s voice floated in, followed by the girl herself. She plopped herself down next to me on the bed.

“Draco, how long are you staying this time?”

“Probably just until tomorrow, Pippa.” He had opened his trunk and was looking through clothes now.

“You used to stay more.” She looked disappointed.

“I know, but you know that right now isn’t a good time. Things are…complicated.” He pulled out a new blouse and a pair of black slacks.

“Yeah, I know. No one tells me much here, but I feel the tension.”

I looked at her again. She was younger than I had initially thought.

“I promise when I stay for longer, we’ll chat about it, ok?” He offered, smiling at her from across the room.

I was struck by how different he really was now.

“Deal.” She confirmed. She turned to me now. “Have you seen your room, Iona?”

“Yeah, it’s really lovely. Much nicer than what I had before.”

“Cool, maybe I can help you decorate a bit. I know some really good spots to gather plants for bouquets.”

I hadn’t even thought that maybe I’d be able to go outside. My mind reeled.

“I’d like that a lot Pippa, thanks. I’d love to see the garden.”

“Maybe you want to go have a look now?” Malfoy suggested. “I need a shower.”

I blushed when I realised, I probably needed a shower much more than he did. Washing in a bucket with rainwater worked but wasn’t great.

“If you want to Iona?” Pippa looked happy with the prospect.

“Sure, that would be great.” I smiled at the girl, following her out with a quick glance back before I descended the stairs. Draco stood, leaning against his desk, pensive face framed by silver hair.

We passed the kitchen, but Kif and Mary weren’t there anymore. Pippa grabbed a coat by the door and then we were outside.

The smell of fresh pine and deciduous leaves just beginning to rot hit me. It was divine. I practically pranced after Pippa’s rapidly moving figure as she weaved down a path towards the edge of the woods. As soon as we stepped under the canopy any stress still lingering around me dissipated.

There was a closeness to forests, not cloying, not claustrophobic, but more like a comforting blanket. I paused a moment to soak it in and Pippa paused as well, watching me in apparent amusement.

“I guess you didn’t get to do this in London.” She observed, voice soft.

“No, the best I could manage was a dingy park. Not that I had much time or will to be at one. I never knew when Death Eaters might happen by. I heard it was best not to be idle when they did, or there was more chance they’d approach you.”

I saw pity flash in her eyes. “Well, I’ll show you the limits of the protection wards. Anywhere within them, you’re safe to loiter as long as you want.”

“Thanks, really.”

She smiled, turning to follow the path further. A little further along, she veered off it, heading into the trees. When I caught up, she was picking branches off a hawthorn bush. She pressed them into my arms when I confirmed I like hawthorn as a decoration.

Next was some pine, then some bare but pretty branches from an unknown plant. Then she showed me a mushroom ring, which we respectfully left alone, and a raven cawed from far off. We spent what felt like ages searching for little forest treasures, and when we finally circled around to the house, my arms were full, but so was my heart. Pippa’s explanations and shared discoveries of the natural world had soothed my frayed nerves, and I felt better than I had since I could remember. We rushed upstairs to distribute the goods between vases, which Pippa conjured from thin air, a wreath, and some vases for Pippa’s own room too. When we were done, we giggled in glee at our work.

“Thank you, Pippa.” I said sincerely. “I needed this.” I gave her a genuine smile.

“Anytime!” She piped up.

I had thought she was a somber, quiet girl when I first met her, but our shared enthusiasm for the outdoors and nature seemed to have cracked her hard exterior.

“I should let you have a moment now to settle in before dinner.” She announced, gathering up her share of the decorations with the help of her wand and heading downstairs with a smile.

It was a good opportunity for me to have a shower. I opened up my trunk, expecting it to be empty. It wasn’t. A small selection of clothes lay in the bottom, including underwear, socks and bras. A small note lay on top.

_Iona, I hope you don’t mind me conjuring you some clothes for now. I hope I got your sizes right, I asked Mary for help. – Draco_

Well at least I had something to change into after my shower. I picked out a slouchy shirt and some sweatpants, plus some undergarments. I checked the sizes. Almost right, but nothing that couldn’t be fixed with a little magic. However, I hadn’t used magic in two years, except for the healing spell. I left the bra in the end. The underwear would fit without adjustments.

I found a towel in the bathroom, so I shut the door and shucked my disgusting clothes, kicking them into the corner. The clean ones I left on the toilet seat, folded. A quick analysis of the shower and I’d figured out how to turn it on. Another few moments, and the water began to steam.

A hot shower. Something I hadn’t had in two years.

I almost leapt into the stream I was so excited. The water was nearly scalding, but I didn’t care. It washed away the stress that Pippa’s walk hadn’t managed to finish off, and made me feel normal again. I was ashamed of the colour of the water as it cascaded out my hair.

When I felt I was finally clean, I turned off the tap and toweled off quickly in the cooling air, before donning the new clothes and opening the door to let out the excess steam. I looked for a hairbrush, but there wasn’t one, so I just righted my hair with my fingers as much as I could, before scooping up my dirty pile of clothes and padding back to my room. I dumped the clothes in the corner. I’d have to ask how they cleaned their clothes. Probably magic.

“Want me to clean those?” I whirled to the door where Malfoy stood, leaning on the frame, smirking.

“I…do you have a washing machine?” I asked weakly.

“What do you think? We use magic Iona; we are wizards and witches after all.”

“Right. I’ll do it later.” He was glancing around at the decorations.

“You and Pippa have fun?” He smirked.

“Yeah, it was lovely. The woods are…amazing.” I sighed wistfully.

“I’m glad.”

After that we headed downstairs, and I helped Draco cook for everyone.

We ate together, Pippa and Kif chatty, Mary trying and failing at holding a conversation with Malfoy.

And me, sitting in the middle of it all, the happiest I’d been in a while.


	3. Stage 3: Denial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My fingers closed around the cold surface. I held it in front of me until the wood warmed. Then I held it some more. Finally, I raised it, flicking it.  
> Nothing happened.  
> I tried again. Nothing. Dammit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi y'all, back to my computer now, so will try to update more regularly! Let me know what you are thinking so far of the story :)  
> x

I dreamt of Death Eaters in the café, waking in a sweat sometime in the middle of the night. I calmed my breathing, swinging my legs out the bed, feet hitting the cold wooden floor. I had woken not only from the dream, but also from being cold. I cursed, Malfoy hadn’t thought it would be this cold or he would have conjured a blanket too. My eyes found my wand on the dresser. I hadn’t used magic since Malfoy’s wound, and I was half convinced I only managed to do it then because I hadn’t thought about it, it had been a necessary, spur of the moment thing.

  
My fingers closed around the cold surface. I held it in front of me until the wood warmed. Then I held it some more. Finally, I raised it, flicking it.

  
Nothing happened.

  
I tried again.

Nothing.

Dammit.

  
I tried something else. No answer from my wand. I cursed, shivering now.

  
Maybe the fireplace downstairs was still on? I went downstairs as quietly as I could.

The living room was almost as cold as my room, hearth only showing dead ashes.

I’d have to wake Malfoy.

I grimaced, heading out the door and up the stairs on the tips of my toes. One stair creaked and I froze. No one came out of their rooms, no one spoke. So, I continued up, passing my own landing up to Malfoy’s.

  
I paused at his door. I hated bothering people. I rose my hand to the door, knocking lightly.

  
I heard footsteps, and the door swung open. Malfoy had abandoned his elegant day clothes for a pair of black sweatpants and a baggy hoodie.

  
“Iona, what’s up? Are you ok?” He looked fully awake, and over his shoulder I could see his oil lamps on, chair pulled away from the desk.

  
“I…not really. It’s very cold.”

  
“Then conjure a blanket.” He retorted.

  
I fell silent, cheeks burning.

  
“Iona, you can conjure a blanket right? Or did you just miss me that much?” He teased, leaning against the door frame, arms crossed with a smirk that reminded me of when I knew him at Hogwarts.

  
“I…” I fidgeted.

  
He straightened, serious now, seeing how uncomfortable I was. “Why don’t you come in?”

  
I shuffled past him, noticing the immediate difference in temperature as soon as I crossed the threshold. He had a small glass jar with a flickering flame inside on his desk, and I guessed that’s where the warmth came from. I shivered violently with the temperature change.

  
“Have a seat on the bed if you want.” He passed me, picking up the jar with the flame from his desk and handing it to me as I installed myself on the corner of his bed. I hesitated before accepting the jar. The outside was only faintly warm, no more than a mug of tea. He sat on the chair at his desk, turning to me.

  
“So why can’t you conjure? Or do a spell like this?” He asked, voice softer than I’d ever heard it.

  
I looked down into the flame. “I don’t know.”

  
“But you healed me.”

  
“Yeah…I guess it was an emergency. I didn’t even think about it.”

  
“Ok. So maybe try something now.”

  
“Like what?”

  
“Try levitating my pillow.” He suggested.

  
I leaned over to hand him back the flame jar, and then pulled out my wand. I swiveled, pointing my wand at his pillow.

“ _Wingardium Leviosa_.”

  
The pillow stayed exactly where it was. I glanced over at him. He was leaning forward, small crease in between his eyebrows.

“Well then. Let’s try something else.” He pulled his own wand out, hiking the sleeve of his hoodie up.

  
I watched in horror as he sliced his skin, dark blood spilling out and down to his fingertips.

  
“What the hell are you doing?” I hissed at him, standing and approaching him.

  
“You healed me before, so try healing me.” He was calm, the complete opposite of what I felt right now.

  
I pointed my wand, hand visibly shaking. The wound was shallow so I decided to try a softer version of what I’d had to use when I had healed him last time.

  
“ _Episkey_.” I muttered.

  
The blood continued to flow.

  
“Fuck.” I cursed, throwing my wand somewhere and turning away from the grey eyes that watched me.

  
“It’s alright, Iona. We’ll work through this.”

  
“You sure you want me to stay?” I spat, annoyed with myself, with the world.

  
I heard him stand. “What do you mean?”

His hand on my elbow startled me, but I allowed him to turn me towards him. He pressed my wand into my hand again. There was no trace of jest in his eyes.

  
“You keep telling them you brought me because I’m a great healer and combat magician. Well, now I’m not. I’d understand if you dumped me back on my doorstep in London.” I fought hard against the tears prickling the back of my eyes. I didn’t want to cry, but my brain didn’t care. My resolve broke, and so did I.

  
Malfoy stood there as I ugly cried in front of him. “It’s alright Iona, you’ll get through this, I’m sure. You’re just exhausted, emotionally and physically. Come here.” He opened his arms in offering.

My mind was so addled it didn’t even pause to be blown by the fact that Malfoy, of all people, was offering me a hug. I stepped into his embrace and cried like a little baby.

I cried for the world, for my lost magic, for my lost home, damp and cold as it was.

His arms stayed strong around me throughout the whole thing, only moving to occasionally rub my back in comfort.

When I finally hiccupped and stopped, I looked up at him, eyes no doubt raw and red.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t come here to cry all over your shoulder.” I whispered, cheeks no doubt as red as my eyes now.

  
“Better out than in, Iona. Don’t worry about it.”

  
I felt his voice rumble in his chest, and resisted the urge to lay my head back down on it. Instead, I stepped back, drying my eyes on the cuff of my shirt. I nearly squeaked when I saw the massive tear stain I had left on the left shoulder of his grey hoodie. He saw my looking on in terror and flicked his wand at it. It dried immediately.

  
“Show-off.” I muttered.

  
I heard him chuckle. “Come on then, lets take this jar to your room.”

  
He followed me down to my room, silent on his feet.

  
“Merlin’s beard no wonder you were cold Iona.” He remarked, setting the jar on my desk.

He frowned when the flame flickered. I watched him glance around, trying to pinpoint the source of the cold wind.

“Finite Incantatum.” He suddenly muttered. The flame stabilized.

  
“There was a spell?” I asked, confused.

  
“Apparently.” He looked troubled. “I’ll look into it.”

  
The room was already starting to warm.

  
“Thank you, Draco.” I paused. “For the warmth…and your shoulder.”

  
His lips pulled up in a smirk, and I watched the confusion of the cold spell dissipate and be filed away for later. His eyes were quite expressive.

  
“Next time I’ll wear a raincoat.” He jibed, passing me towards my door. He paused there for a moment. “Good night, Iona. See you in the morning.”

  
I stood there for a moment longer, before tucking myself into bed and watching the flame on my desk until I slipped into a dreamless sleep.

I woke in the morning to an overcast day. The flames were still burning in the jar. I pulled on some clothes, looking at the ill-fitting bras wistfully. I didn’t want to have to ask Draco to change them. But I was unsure whether it was a good idea to tell anyone else my predicament.

I grabbed the jar, deciding I’d return it and ask him about revealing my temporary lack of magic capability to the others.

  
Just as I raised my hand to the door, I realized he wasn’t alone. Feeling like a naughty child, I pressed my ear against the door when I realized the tone of his voice wasn’t friendly.

  
“-what the hell you were thinking Mary, but it wasn’t funny.”

  
“Oh, come on Draco, it was just a bit of light hazing.” I recognized Mary’s voice. “It’s not like she couldn’t counter it herself anyway.”

  
My stomach dropped; Mary was about to find out I was useless.

  
“It didn’t occur to her that it might be a spell, Mary. She’s exhausted. She’s been through hell since…well you know. Don’t do it again.”

Well I had to give it to him, he could think on his feet.

  
“Gosh Draco, didn’t know you were so protective of your little schoolmate.” She retorted. “I didn’t come here to argue with you, you know. I missed you.”

  
My stomach lurched at her tone.

I didn’t want to hear _that_.

I left hurriedly, making sure to miss the squeaky stair before diving into the bathroom. I splashed my face and gargled with water. I’d need to ask Malfoy about acquiring a toothbrush and some basic toiletries. As if on cue, I hear his door open and footsteps descend. It definitely wasn’t his silent steps. I listened to the steps continue downstairs before peeking my head out to make sure the coast was clear. I jumped when I spotted Malfoy heading towards me.

  
“Oh, morning.” I said, exiting the bathroom.

  
“Morning. Sleep ok?” He asked, looking bemused when I grabbed the flame jar from the counter of the bathroom and handed it to him.

  
“Yeah, great after everything.” I answered, standing there awkwardly.

  
“You should keep this, for now.” He said, handing the jar back.

  
“Don’t you need it?” I asked, walking back into my room to set it on my desk.

  
“Not more than you.” His answer wasn’t meant to offend, but I felt like I was stabbed in the stomach.

  
“About that.” I craned my neck to make sure no one else was in the corridor.

He caught on and flicked his wand, uttering the words for a sound muffling spell.

“There’s a few things I need but can’t conjure.”

  
“Just tell me what.” He stood, waiting.

  
“Basic toiletries, a toothbrush and hairbrush. A…menstrual cup.” I wanted to melt through the floor.

  
But on the other hand, Malfoy looked rather unbothered. I guess I'd postpone the melt.

  
“Anything else?” He inquired.

  
“Um…well…the stuff you conjured for me, I mean the clothes. Most of it fits just fine but…the bras are too small.” Ok wanted to melt again.

  
Now Malfoy looked like he wanted to melt away too.

  
“Right.”

  
“It’s just I didn’t know if I was supposed to let anyone else know about my…condition, otherwise I would have asked Pippa for help.”

  
“No, you’re right. Let’s try and keep it between us, for now at least.” He glanced toward my trunk. “What size then?”

  
He flicked his wrist when I told him.

  
“Thanks."

  
“No worries. Let’s get breakfast.” He turned, heading down the corridor to the stairs. I followed, peeking in the bathroom as I passed.

All the essentials now stood on my counter.

  
An amazing aroma of maple syrup greeted me as I stepped into the kitchen behind Draco. Kif was just dishing out pancakes. Pippa was already digging into her first one.

  
“Mornin’” Kif greeted, waiving the spatula around.

  
“Morning.” Draco responded, sliding onto the bench.

  
“Um…should I make coffee or?” I offered, hoping they didn’t magic their coffee.

  
“Oh, perfect. Everything is in the cupboard to your left.” Kif accepted excitedly.

  
Happy to have something to do with my hands that wasn’t failing with my wand, I set to the task of making a pot of coffee. The smell wafted up as the percolator dripped, and my worries seemed to melt away. I glanced at the table where Kif had now sat too, pancakes as of yet untouched. Mary was missing.  
The machine finished and I brought over the pot and four mugs.

  
“Ah, perfect, thanks.” Kif smiled as I handed him a steaming mug, and then another for Pippa. Next was Draco, who hadn’t touched his pancakes either. Then finally, one for myself.

  
I slid onto the bench next to Kif, mouth watering as I eyed the pancakes. As if on cue, the boy attacked their pancake stack. I realized, with a blush, that they had been waiting on me. Pippa had even stopped after her first one. She smiled at me now over the percolator pot, mouth full of pancake.

  
“Isn’t Mary joining us?” I ventured.

  
“No.” Draco answered, voice betraying his annoyance.

  
Feeling I had somehow miss-stepped, I fell silent. Then my traitorous mind returned to me eavesdropping at the door.

Mary had sounded like she wanted something from Malfoy when I fled. But he had come down only a few minutes later. Either he was insanely _fast_ , or nothing had happened.  
I chastised myself for even thinking about that. That was his business.

  
Kif and Pippa had started chatting about how Halloween was close, so I was content to just listen to them, unaware that a pair of grey eyes were watching me across the table.


	4. How to Defeat a Dark Lord

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I opened my mouth to repeat my lie, but Pippa beat me to it.  
> “Draco is looking for a new wand for her, she lost hers when they fled.” The girl’s voice had a slight edge to it, one I hadn’t heard before.  
> “Oh, I see.” Mary didn’t seem to know what to say after that. I took her plate and resisted the urge to break it on her head, instead taking it to the sink and adding it to the other clean ones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, very little Draco in this chapter, but some plot developments :)  
> Let me know what you think about the new characters so far!  
> x

“Croft, wake up.” Draco’s voice interrupted my dreamless sleep.

  
I raised my head groggily, blinking in the near dark.  
“What’s happening?” My voice sounded quiet and sleepy, even to me.

  
I could’ve sworn Malfoy’s eyes softened at my tone, but it was too dark to be sure.  
“I’ve got to go.” He explained, and I felt his weight settle beside my leg on the edge of my bed.

  
“Oh, right, of course.” I was more awake now, and I sat up, propping my elbow under my left side. “What…what do I do? I can’t let them know about my…predicament.”

I watched him sigh and run a hand through his silky hair.  
“Tell them you left your wand in haste, that I’m going to procure you a new one.” He suggested, hand coming to rest on his knee.

  
I nodded in agreeance.

  
“I shouldn’t be too long. I need to move my place again. When I’m back we’ll start therapy.”

  
I frowned at his choice of word, but didn’t contest it. He was probably right.  
“Ok.”

  
“Things will get better Iona, I promise. In the meantime…lay low.”

  
I watched him rise, framed now in moonlight from my window. Like this, his hair was an even more ethereal silver, sharp, chiseled facial features casting shadow across half his face. He turned, and an inexplicable sense of loss and panic gripped me.

  
“Malfoy-” I surprised myself at the volume of my own voice. I ducked my head, whispering the rest. “-be careful, and…don’t take too long. Please.”

  
He stood a while longer, face now entirely obscured in darkness.  
“I won’t.” Was his short answer, before he disappeared out her door, only leaving behind his unmistakable scent of sandalwood and pine that he had carried since school.

  
I heard a very faint pop not a few minutes later, which I’m sure I would have missed, had the house not been eerily quiet.  
Must have been the Vanishing Cabinet.

  
Glancing sideways at the window, I rose, wrapping the top blanket around my shoulders. The forest was dark in front of me, but not for the canopy where the moon touched.  
On my desk, the flicker of the flame still trapped in the jar gave me small comfort.  
I was, in no sense, alone, and yet the departure of my old schoolmate had left me feeling so.  
Malfoy had not been a particularly large (or pleasant) part of my Hogwarts experience, but he was a firm reminder of those times. To have been re-exposed, to that, to the past I had desperately tried to squash into a drawer in my mind, had left me feeling raw, like a freshly reopened wound.  
I knew it was a short while before he’d return, but I felt tears well up unbidden. If my past self could see me now, pining for the company of Draco Malfoy, him not gone 5 minutes, she’d laugh maniacally.

  
After a fruitless night’s attempt at getting a decent sleep, I rose, body weary, stuffing myself into the first clothes I palmed out of my trunk.  
The house was still quiet as I descended, ducking my head into the kitchen. No one was there.  
I sighed my relief and slipped in, setting the kettle on to boil and spooning some coffee into the French press.  
I impatiently waited for the water to boil, fearing any second someone might enter. Luckily, no one did.  
I poured my share into a thermos I found while rummaging around, leaving the rest near the stove.

  
_If I wasn’t incompetent, I could charm the rest to stay hot for when the others woke._

  
I squashed that nasty voice of inner nagging, heading out the door and into the fresh air.  
It was freezing out and frost covered everything in desaturated crystals. Some brave birds still sang, and I could imagine their little puffs of breath fanning out opaquely in front of them in the chilled air.  
I continued on the path until I was engulfed in the steady presence of the forest.  
Content, I paced my way over to one of the clearings I had been to with Pippa the other day and found a log to sit on.  
The warm coffee tasted all the more divine consumed in the cold clearing, with only the company of a few songbirds, a raucous group of far-off ravens, and a lone beetle fighting its way across the mossy carpet.  
I stayed until the chill worked its way through the temporary warmth of my hot beverage, and my mind felt a little less muddled.

“Where have you been?” Mary’s tone had an accusatory aftertaste to it.

  
“I…in the woods. Needed to clear my head.” I replied in her general direction, cleaning out the thermos in the kitchen sink. I could feel her eyes on me, boring a hole into my shoulders.

  
“Couldn’t sleep?” She inquired, no pity in her voice.

  
“No, I was too…worked up.” I answered, trying to hide my annoyance at her interrogation. I finished washing up and left the thermos to dry on the rack, drying my own hands on a towel.  
I turned to face the kitchen, resting my backside against the counter. Mary was still standing, mouth twisted into a sneer. I felt a knot that had come undone in the forest reform in my stomach. In response, my psyche got angry. I felt threatened and wanted so badly to lash out at her. But I took a deep breath and looked her straight in the eyes.

“Well next time at least don’t waste coffee. We’re not a hotel.” She scoffed, brushing past me and out the kitchen.

  
I stood there for a few minutes, trying to still my shaking hands. I had always hated conflict. It drained me immensely so I avoided it as much as I could. I felt about ready to dive back under my bed covers and hide from the world.

  
Pippa walked in and I quickly sobered up, turning to offer her a smile. Unfortunately it must not have been a good one, because she paused near me, looking up in curiosity.  
“Are you alright, Iona?”

  
“I’m fine Pippa, sorry. Just feeling a bit out of place.” I gripped the counter behind me for support.

  
Pippa glanced out the door of the kitchen over her shoulder. “Mary?”

  
Her question was small and simple, but I didn’t know how to answer.

  
“I…yeah we had a bit of a…misunderstanding.” I chose my words carefully, unsure where Pippa stood when it came to Mary.

  
The girl scoffed and moved to the coffeepot that still sat on the counter. She touched the outside and muttered a charm to reheat the liquid.  
“I’ve never…seen eye to eye with her. She fancies herself the boss around here, and likes to flaunt it.”  
I watched Pippa pour herself a cup. She turned to me, gesturing if I wanted some.

  
“I already had some, I made it before going out to the forest for a bit this morning. Sorry I didn’t charm it to stay warm, I…didn’t bring my wand when we ran away, and Malfoy is trying to get me one.”

There, my first lie to my new housemates.

  
Pippa’s dark eyes made me feel like she hadn’t bought the lie at all. But she turned to the table, sitting down. “No worries.” She smiled.

  
I sat with her until Kif came in and made us both breakfast, chatting amicably about random things. The breakfast of scrambled eggs on toast was a welcome anchor for my churning stomach, leaving me feeling a lot better.  
I offered to clean up after, which Kif protested before giving in, content to sit with Pippa and sip his coffee. Mary came back in then, sliding in next to Kif and taking her now cold share of breakfast. I noticed conversation was less easy after that, as I finished up with our plates. As soon as Mary was done, I stuck out my hand to take hers.

“Why don’t you just magic it clean?” She jabbed, clearly still annoyed with my presence.

  
I opened my mouth to repeat my lie, but Pippa beat me to it.

  
“Draco is looking for a new wand for her, she lost hers when they fled.” The girl’s voice had a slight edge to it, one I hadn’t heard before.

  
“Oh, I see.” Mary didn’t seem to know what to say after that. I took her plate and resisted the urge to break it on her head, instead taking it to the sink and adding it to the other clean ones.

  
“Well…I’m going to the library, do some research.” Kif broke the awkward silence.

  
“Can I help?” I asked immediately, interested in seeing the room I hadn’t been into yet.

  
“Course ya can, come on.” Kif smiled, stepping past me and leading the way. I caught Pippa’s glance of annoyance in Mary’s direction before the girl got up and followed us.  
I didn’t know what Mary was going to do, and frankly I didn’t care.

  
The comforting smell of old books filled my nostrils as we stepped into the room. It had the feel of a cosy living room with an inordinate amount of tomes, and all the paper made sure there was no echo in the rather large division. There was a large fireplace in here too, and several armchairs that looked delectably plush. At the end, large round-topped windows shared the same view as my room, albeit on a lower level. I loved it immediately.

  
“So, most of what we have here are magical texts and informative books, but we have a small section of fiction for diversion too, which is over there.” Kif pointed to the far, left corner bookshelf. “Over there is mostly magical creatures, there is botany, to the right and behind is curses and jinxes, closest to us is potions, and that whole shelf on the left next to the fiction is miscellaneous spells, incantations, and more specific tomes that focus on things like battle magic and Occlumency.”

  
“Wow.” I couldn’t even think straight at the huge offer they had here. “And can we take these out to read whenever?”

  
“Of course ya can, just be sure to keep them in their appointed zones when you return them.”

  
Pippa had already settled on one of the armchairs, book opened in her lap.

  
“That’s amazing, I haven’t had any books in…well since it happened.” I had missed it.

  
“I can imagine. We got lucky and happened upon a private collection one time. The owner was…indisposed, so we took it for our own.” Kif answered.

  
I wondered if he meant they took it from a dead Death Eater, but my mind raced to my next question.

  
“So, what are you researching then?” I asked, following Kif when he beckoned me over to a table next to the fireplace, which was piled high with books and littered with parchment.

  
“Well, we’re currently looking into details of Voldemort’s past life.” Kif paused to let that sink in. “I’m unsure if you’re aware of Horcruxes?”

  
“I…well I’ve read about them briefly, but what does that have to do with the Dark Lord?”

  
“Before they perished, Harry, Hermione, and Ron were searching for Horcruxes. They discovered that the Dark Lord had split his soul multiple times, and had put those pieces into certain objects for safekeeping.” He lifted one of the books and motioned for me to sit down between him and Pippa, pulling his armchair up close so we could both peer at the book simultaneously. “Well, in their time they destroyed most of them, but there are, to our knowledge, still two. One of course, in Voldemort’s physical body, and one in his snake, Nagini.”

  
I shivered. I had seen that snake at the battle. It had killed Neville Longbottom.

  
“So, to actually kill Voldemort, we have to kill Nagini first?” I asked.

  
“Problem is, he knows the Kneazle’s out the bag, so he’s keeping her very close.” Pippa piped up.

  
We fell silent, mulling over the predicament.

  
“There must be some way to pull him away from her somehow.” I mumbled.

  
“That’s what we’ve been trying to think of.” Kif sighed. “We’ve looked up spells, tried to strategize, and so far…nothing plausible.” He handed me the book he was holding. “This book explains Horcruxes in detail, if you wanna know more.”

  
“That would be great. Any use taking notes off this, or have you all read this back and forth by now?” I asked, accepting the heavy tome.

  
“Well, to be honest I’ve read it lightly, but if you find anything you think might be more applicable to our specific situation, jot it down – there’s parchment over there and quills on that shelf.” Kif rose, gesturing at the shelf he mentioned and grabbing a different book from the pile.

  
We spent until lunch pouring over the old and new texts, occasionally bringing up an interesting point, or scribbling notes on parchment.  
I finally put the book down hours later, stretching and cracking as all my joints popped in protest of their disuse. Kif looked up, eyes bleary. Pippa was snoring softly, book forgotten on her lap.

  
“Think we need some food. And definitely some coffee.” I ventured, standing stiffly and bending over to stretch quickly. I needed to do some yoga. I used to do it, before.

  
“I’ll second that.” Kif agreed, rising as well and yawning loudly. He shook Pippa gently, waking her and letting her know they were heading for lunch. She looked mildly miffed at herself for having fallen asleep, and followed us out to the kitchen, feet dragging.

  
I offered to make an Indian chickpea dish I loved and judging by the eager eyes both parties sent my way, I’d found a food we all appreciated.

  
“Am I cooking for three or four?” I asked them as I chopped onion and garlic.

  
“Oh, I doubt Mary will be back for another few hours, she’s out on a supply collection.” Kif let me know. “Besides, she doesn’t like spicy food.”

  
I nodded, eyes now watering from the onions. About a half hour later, I spooned a generous portion of the chickpeas and sauce onto some rice, handing a nearly drooling Kif their bowls before grabbing mine and joining them. The smell was bringing me back to simpler times, and it made me smile.

  
“Merlin’s beard woman, that right there is some decent nosh!” Kif exclaimed in bliss.

  
Pippa nodded happily in agreement, mouth full of rice and chickpeas.

  
I ducked my head shyly. “Thanks a bunch, that’s nice to hear.”

  
“It’s really great, Iona.” Pippa piped in; mouthful now swallowed. “Just the right amount of spicy for me.”

  
We chatted about stuff other than our research over lunch, including the supplies Mary had gone to fetch, which turned out to be food, coffee, and firewood.

  
“Does Mary always do the supply runs?” I inquired as Kif and Pippa washed and dried the dishes.

  
“Usually yes.” Pippa answered.

  
“She likes to oversee those kinds of decisions.” Kif supplied.

  
I couldn’t help but think that meant she was overbearing.

  
We brewed an extra-large pot of coffee and returned to the library with it in tow, tucking back into our books for the rest of the afternoon.  
As the autumn sun started to stream through the large windows in increasingly warmer tones, we heard noise from the entrance. Closing out books and marking our page, we all filed out to help Mary sort and store the supplies.


	5. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh…well, I fled, like most people did, I guess.”  
> “And you felt guilty for that?” He asked, sitting across from me in his desk chair.  
> “I…” I thought for a moment. “Terribly. I felt like such a coward. Seeing our colleagues sacrificing themselves to try to help Harry even after he lay lifeless…I can still see their unseeing eyes if I think about it. And the amount blood? I somehow didn’t think I’d see that, coz magic you know? The killing curse leaves no trace. And yet, so many were the faces disfigured by curses, missing limbs, guts spewed across the courtyard. I guess in the heat of battle, anything goes.” I shivered, but it had nothing to do with being cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, inspiration has been sparse! Hope you enjoy!  
> Leave a comment if you like, I love reading them!  
> x

Later that evening, muscles aching from helping sort heavy supplies, I feel into my bed face-first, exhausted.  
I stayed awake just long enough to shuck my clothing and slip under my covers before sleep claimed me.

  
I walked in a crowd of people, against the flow, in fact I was the only one heading the way I was. A crisp wind flung my hair off my face. Someone bumped my right shoulder, then the left. I looked around, annoyed. Then it happened again. Suddenly, the crowd was too dense, I couldn’t move without being knocked this way and that. I felt confined, confused, trying to find my footing, but I glimpsed the platinum haired man through the crowd and so I redoubled my efforts, trying to swim through the thick crowd of flailing limbs.  
Now the people were no longer people, they were just grabbing, scratching hands, pulling at my arms, my legs, my hair, fingers hooking into my mouth and I felt like I was suffocating and – I shot up in bed, chest heaving, heart threatening to fly the cage of my ribs, breathing erratic and short.

  
I glanced at the window as I all but fell out of bed, and spied the sun just peeking over the canopy.  
I gulped in air as much as I could, but my chest felt like a vice was closed around it, my mind was irrational and terrified, I felt like any moment I would expire –

  
“Iona?” A familiar voice.

  
I slid my gaze to the door, where a tall man stood. A moment’s look at my predicament and he was next to me, cold hands framing my face and forcing me to look up at him.

  
“Iona, you’re fine. You’re safe. You’re having a panic attack.” His calm voice helped cut through my terror, and I tried to take some deep breaths again, finding it a little easier now. “That’s it, it’s alright, you’re in no real danger.” He spoke again.

  
My eyes finally focused on his face.  
“Malfoy.” I croaked out.

  
“Yes pet, I’m back. Don’t worry about anything, you’ll be ok, just breathe.” One of his hands moved to my back, where it rubbed small but firm circles over my shoulder blades.  
Slowly, my mind found purchase on reality again, but I remained feeling frayed at the edges.

  
“You ok to stand up Iona?”

  
I nodded mutely and felt his hands shift to my arms to pull me up. My knees were still shaky, so I leaned on him as he brought me over to my bed. He sat me at the side and sat down next to me. The bed was soft, so it folded in towards him, and I allowed myself to maintain the established contact between his thigh and my own. It felt grounding.

  
“Bad dreams?” Malfoy inquired, voice soft.

  
“Yeah…I was being grabbed at, scratched, felt like I was drowning. Couldn’t get to…where I wanted.” I mumbled.

  
“I heard you from the corridor, I hope you don’t mind me coming in.”

  
“I’m glad you did. I was...spiralling.” I looked at him sideways where he was bent forward, elbows on his thighs. “You seemed to know what to do.”

  
“I’ve…been through a similar period.” He admitted, turning to gaze at me. “I had to learn to cope.”

  
“On your own?”

  
“Mum helped a little at the time. But mostly, yeah.”

  
“I’m sorry to hear that.”

  
He shrugged, standing up. “Maybe splash your face with some water, then meet me in my room if that’s ok with you.” And he was out the door, leaving me to wonder why my stomach had fluttered at his suggestion.

  
I did as he had said, slipping into my bathroom and turning on the tap. The water was icy and it dispelled the rest of my panic and woke me fully. I patted my face dry and peeked out the door. No one was in the corridor.

  
I knocked softly on Malfoy’s door when I arrived and he opened it, ushering me inside. The light was golden in his room from the rising sun.  
“Have a seat.” He offered, pointing to his bed.

  
I sat on the corner, heart racing again.

  
“So, tell me everything Croft.”

  
I sat there for a few moments, trying to understand what he meant and where to start.

  
“What happened after the battle?” He nudged kindly, patient.

  
“Oh…well, I fled, like most people did, I guess.”

  
“And you felt guilty for that?” He asked, sitting across from me in his desk chair.

  
“I…” I thought for a moment. “Terribly. I felt like such a coward. Seeing our colleagues sacrificing themselves to try to help Harry even after he lay lifeless…I can still see their unseeing eyes if I think about it. And the amount blood? I somehow didn’t think I’d see that, coz magic you know? The killing curse leaves no trace. And yet, so many were the faces disfigured by curses, missing limbs, guts spewed across the courtyard. I guess in the heat of battle, anything goes.” I shivered, but it had nothing to do with being cold.

  
“You can’t blame yourself, Iona. Had you stayed; you’d have died too. And what use would that have been? Bravery is a beautiful thing, but sometimes it is ill-advised.” He flicked his wand and a blanket wrapped itself around my shoulders. It was a comforting weight.

  
“I know, but sometimes I wonder how I could have helped more, if I could have saved some of them somehow, I dunno.” I mumbled, feeling tears prickle the back of my eyes.

  
“No one person can save the world. You did your best, you survived.”

  
I fell silent. I wanted to argue, but I also knew, in a way, he was right.

  
“What about your parents? You mentioned the apartment was theirs.” He asked.

  
Tears threatened. My parents.  
“They’re dead.” I gathered my strength. “Mum worked at the Ministry. Dad was visiting her when…well Death Eaters came in, just Voldemort killed Harry, I’m pretty sure. I received a letter from the Ministry after the dust had settled, from an old colleague of mum’s. It was sent at great risk to him, and all he could write was: ‘I’m so sorry, they came in the night. I’ve kept your mum’s belongings from the office and Merlin willing one day I’ll get them back to you. I hope you are safe.’.” I wiped away my tears, mix of sadness and anger churning in my stomach.

  
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Malfoy said. His face looked stricken. “My father headed that attack.” He all but whispered.

  
I sat there, unable to fathom what he had said for a moment.

  
“So, your father…”

  
“May well have killed yours.” Malfoy finished my sentence, face twisting into a sour grimace. “Fuck Iona, I’m so sorry and I understand if you’re angry or worse. I tried to stop him. Mum did too. But he was hell-bent on proving himself a loyal subject. To the point where he jinxed us so we couldn’t follow, couldn’t stop him, couldn’t warn anyone.”

  
I just sat there. My center of gravity seemed to have disappeared, but instead of feeling like I was floating I felt a constant feeling of falling. We sat in silence for a good few minutes, before Malfoy stood and came over to me, kneeling in front of my crossed ankles. His eyes were level with mine this way, and the slate-coloured orbs looked pleading. His hands hesitantly came up to meet mine where they lie on my lap.

  
“I’ve been paying a long time for my sins, Iona. It took me a lot to not hate myself with passion for the things I’d done. I hate that I did them, and I always will. But I cannot hate myself anymore. Not like that. Else I’d…not be around for long.” He sighed, forehead resting on my thigh now, as though in supplication. “But I’ll understand if you don’t want to make that effort. If you’d rather stay hating me.”

  
My fingers stirred and he allowed my hand to move to his head, where I smoothed back his silky hair.

  
“Like you said, no one person can save the world.” I uttered, gaze falling down to his own, head now raised as I tucked some of his hair behind one ear. “It wasn’t you who did it. It is of no fault of our own who we are born to.”

  
“No, but I should have…done something more.” A small tear rolled down his sharp cheekbones.

  
“You couldn’t have. Your father chose his path, and chose yours for many years. At least you straightened one of them out.” My thumb wiped off the tear as it reached his stubble. “I’m…glad you told me.” I finished weakly. My own tears were already soaking my shirt.

  
“Can I hug you?” His voice was small, uncertain.

  
I nodded and he surged up, wrapping his long arms around my shoulders, hooking his chin on my shoulder and squeezing me to his firm chest. We both shed more tears, rocking back and forth softly as we comforted each other, until our hiccoughing sobs subsided to sniffles.

  
He rocked back then, wiping his eyes, and attempting a tiny smile. I reciprocated.

  
“Guess we both need a raincoat.” I mumbled and he looked confused for a moment before he remembered the joke.

  
He chuckled. “Seems so.” He stood, coming to sit next to me. “Maybe that’s…enough for today, yeah?”

  
“Yeah, I think so.” I smiled in his direction, eyes focused on his hands. Under the sleeve of his sweatshirt, a bit of tattoo peeked through. “Some day you’ve gotta show me your tattoos.” I mumbled, not quite meaning it to be out loud.

  
“Are you that interested in them?” He asked, leaning back.

  
“Yeah, I’ve always wanted some. But never did it. Yours looked cool.” I muttered shyly.

  
“Thanks. Want to see them now?” He asked.

  
“Well, I can’t go get breakfast before my eyes stop being puffy and red, so sure.” I nodded.

  
He smirked and unzipped his sweatshirt. His pale, ink-marked skin was perfectly smooth except for a few scars here and there. I resisted the sudden urge to reach out and find out if it really was as soft as it looked. I must be losing my mind.

  
Instead, I passed my eyes over the artwork, mesmerized by the diversity of magical creatures intertwined in botanical specimens that crept up and down his arms and across his chest. The work was exquisite. We sat there for a while, and he explained a few, other said they were just ‘because he liked them’.

  
“It’s really amazing.” I almost whispered.

  
My eyes caught on one of his scars, much larger than the tiny nearly invisible lines from when I had saved him. This time, unconsciously, my fingers darted out, tracing the puckered skin. His abdomen contracted at the touch, brining me out of my reverie.  
“I’m sorry. Don’t know why I did that.”

  
“It’s fine. Your hands are cold is all.” He answered, eyes rather lidded.

  
I could feel the warmth coming from his skin all of a sudden, feel his hot breath fanning out near me, feel my own breath on my chest. My eyes met his and it was like I had been jolted with a shock. There was a different look in them, something more feral, and I was unable to think enough to understand if it was hostile or not. My mouth felt dry. I ripped my gaze from his, standing up simultaneously in one fluid movement.

  
“We should get breakfast.” I offered, unable to look at him.

  
“Sure, you just, go ahead, I’ll be right down.” He managed to say, voice rather strangled.

  
I nodded, and all but fled his room.


	6. Breakthroughs and Encounters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I…well at least Voldemort couldn’t kill one of us while we killed her…I don’t know. Sorry guys, thought I was on to something.” I hung my head, cheeks burning.  
> “You still might be.” Malfoy’s voice from the entryway made us all jump.  
> I recovered first. “How so?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, a bit of a longer chapter to make up for the shorter one last time - let me know what you think!  
> How we feeling about Mary? What about the plan so far?  
> x

After a simple breakfast, Malfoy headed out to get firewood and check the wards, and Kif, Pippa and I headed to the library again for research. Mary was still filling out an inventory list of the stuff she had brought yesterday, grumbling at Kif for having opened a package of butter before she could count everything.

  
During the morning I managed to finish the tome on Horcruxes. Kif and Pippa offered to make sandwiches and coffee, so I replaced my book where it had come from and started searching for another until they returned. My fingers danced over the spines as I wandered down the bookcases, head lost in Horcruxes and hexes. Then, a sudden tingle in my fingers as they alighted on a thick book with a brown, cracked spine. My eyes focused.

  
_A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration_

  
No way that could work…could it?

  
“Lunch is ready.” Pippa’s voice came from my right.

  
“Transfiguration!” I blurted out.

  
“What?” Kif asked from behind Pippa.

  
“Transfiguration!” I repeated.

  
“Yes, it’s a branch of magic, what of it, woman?” Kif laughed, placing down the coffee and plates.

  
“We can transfigure the bloody snake!”

  
I watched their faces get confused and then pensive.

  
“Well…maybe…” Kif started.

  
“We could transfigure Nagini into something small and easy to transport, then teleport out. Then just get her somewhere we can dispatch her.”

  
“But if we could get close enough to her why not just kill her right away?” Pippa ventured, seeming sad to burst my bubble.

  
“I…well at least Voldemort couldn’t kill one of us while we killed her…I don’t know. Sorry guys, thought I was on to something.” I hung my head, cheeks burning.

  
“You still might be.” Malfoy’s voice from the entryway made us all jump.

  
I recovered first. “How so?”

  
“From what I’ve heard Voldemort isn’t aware of where his pieces of soul are – what I mean is he put them in specific objects, but if the objects changed shape or location, he wouldn’t know. He only senses when they are destroyed.” He brought his own coffee in, claiming one of the empty chairs.

  
We all followed suit, grabbing sandwiches and our hot drinks, and sitting.

  
He continued. “We’re, as far as I know, unaware of what would happen if Voldemort tried to kill the Horcrux himself, correct?”

  
Kif nodded, looking confused.

  
“Maybe if we made Voldemort kill Nagini…maybe it would be a stronger effect? Much like…suicide, I guess. We’d have to look into it but…it could work. We could use advanced transfiguration to transform Nagini into me once we’d captured her. Hopefully, Voldemort would be enraged enough to kill me on sight. I’m pretty sure he would be.” He sipped his coffee. “At the very least, it’ll confuse him enough for us to make a move.”

  
We all sat there for a moment.

  
“Well it’s bloody well worth a try.” Kif grinned, jumping to his feet. “This is more than we’ve had to go on for months!”

  
Sandwiches forgotten, he bounded towards me, plucking me bridal style up off the chair, where I sat sideways, spinning me around and laughing at my squeak of surprise. Then he placed me down again and started towards Malfoy.

  
“Don’t you dare Kif.” The taller man warned, right before Kif tackled him, heaving his lighter frame over his broad shoulder like a fireman. Malfoy struggled wildly, laughing until they both fell over, shoving each other in a brotherly manner.

  
“What a bunch of boys.” Pippa remarked, but a smile tugged at her lips as she sipped her coffee.

  
“Pippa!” Kif opened his arms mockingly from across the room and started her way.

  
“No, no way.” She squeaked and ran around the bookcases, Kif chasing her, both laughing until they tired and finally came back to the chairs.

  
“Am I interrupting something?” Mary’s voice cut the mood.

  
Malfoy looked up from where he had sat on the carpet, back the arm of my chair.

  
“Well only the best potential idea for months!” Kif exclaimed.

  
Mary’s only physical response was a slight narrowing of her eyes. “Oh?”

  
Kif explained the newly formed plan enthusiastically, seemingly unaware of the apparent indifference of his audience member.

  
“We have no proof it would do anything different to him.” Mary’s voice was brooking no arguments.

  
“No, we do not. But we don’t have any saying it won’t.” Malfoy responded. If he heard her tone, he didn’t care. “Besides, like I said, at the very least it will expose a moment of weakness and confusion in him when he feels the piece of his soul die at his own hands.”

  
“Well how do we catch the damn snake anyway?” She asked irritably, waving her hands.

  
“Well we haven’t thought that out quite yet.” Pippa retorted, seeming annoyed.

  
There was a heavy silence. I squirmed in my chair. Malfoy’s hand unconsciously brushed my leg as if to still me. I did, but I hated the feeling in the room.

  
“Well, not much of a plan then.” Mary scoffed, turning heel, and leaving. “I’ll be in the kitchen, we need to do a special run.”

  
“You know…sometimes I really-”

  
“Shush Pippa.” Kif mumbled. “Good job guys, we’ll pick this up later.”

  
Pippa huffed but closed her mouth, angrily jotting down our collective ideas on parchment.

  
“Come, Iona and I will see what run needs to be done.” Malfoy suggested.

  
Kif just nodded, staring over Pippa’s shoulder as she wrote.

  
I followed him out into the corridor, still shaking the anxiety that came with encounters with Mary.

“It’s a great idea, don’t mind her.” He mumbled, just loud enough for me to hear. His shoulder-length hair swayed as we walked, his long undercoat trailing out behind him. He looked like any goth girl’s dream in all black.  
I managed a smile up at him as we reached the kitchen. We entered, joining Mary at the table.

  
“So, what needs doing?” Malfoy asked, hands clasped in front of him.

  
“We need potion supplies.” Mary handed him a list. “Want me to come with you?”

  
“Thanks Mary, but I was thinking maybe Iona needs to see how runs get done.” Malfoy responded.

  
I was painfully aware of Mary’s directed anger.  
“Right. Fine. I have enough to do here anyway.” She sniffed, dismissive.

  
“Thanks Mary. Look, get Pippa and Kif to help you with some of the stuff around the house. We’ll be back as soon as we can.” Malfoy tried to cheer her up, but she wasn’t having it.  
She nodded curtly, leaving the kitchen in a rush.

  
“Oof maybe you should just take her.” I mumbled.

  
“She’s just…upset at me. It’s not so much your fault.” He mumbled back.

  
_Because you rejected her?_

  
Thankfully, that thought of mine stayed in my brain. Instead, I just nodded as if I understood, and followed his now retreating form upstairs.  
“Go grab your wand, we’ll take my Vanishing Cabinet.” He whispered in my ear on my landing before continuing up.

I _knew_ he had only whispered that in my ear because I wasn’t supposed to have a wand, but the hairs on my arms and neck stood to attention when I felt the warmth of his proximity. I shook my head. I really must be starved for human contact.  
I joined him in his room shortly after, having grabbed my wand and made a quick bathroom break on the way.  
The Vanishing Cabinet was open, and Malfoy was fixing his coat, a heavier grey one made of what looked like wool, that hit him at the same length as the undercoat, just below the mid-calf. I sighed wistfully. I missed having nice looking clothing. Of course, the stuff he had conjured for me was fine, but it wasn’t…elegant. I knew it was a silly thing to pine for nice outfits when the world was like it was. But it was a slice of normality, and one clung on to those in difficult times. He must have caught me staring because when I looked up, he was smirking.

  
“We’ll get you some new stuff while we’re out.” He offered, turning to the cabinet.

  
“But I don’t have any money.” I followed him into the cabinet, crowding in as he beckoned the doors shut. Inside it was dark and smelt like wood.

  
He looked down at me. “Don’t worry, we have muggle currency.” He pushed the doors and I stumbled out into his room, where I had helped him get to his bed that first night. I hadn’t noticed a thing except for a little pop, and here we were.

  
“Ok, but it’s your muggle currency.”

  
“The Order’s.” He shut the cabinet doors once more, locking them into place.

  
“Ok, well, the Order’s. That still feels weird for me.” I followed him downstairs.

  
“Part of our thing is to look the part, Iona. Whatever part that may be. We often infiltrate parties and important gatherings. Our faces we can hide with magic or potions, but our clothes remain an important element of the disguises.” He rummaged around in a box in his living room. “Now where did I leave that?” He mused half-heartedly to himself before opening a different box. “Aha! Got it. Let’s get going.”

  
I followed him out his door, intent on arguing further, but found I was not where I had expected to be. I remembered then he had moved locale. We seemed to be in a more up-market part of the city, but one I didn’t recognize. The day was grey and there was a constant breeze that rustled leaves nearby. The street was quiet at the moment, save for one woman walking her dog at a fast pace.

  
“Approve of the new neighbourhood?” Malfoy asked, heading down the steps.

  
“Yeah, sure.” I muttered, skipping down after him and falling in with his long stride. “Where are we going?”

  
“Potion stuff first, we have a contact. Then we’ll get you some clothes.”

  
“Ok, but aren’t you afraid of meeting Death Eaters? In fact, when I first saw you, you didn’t seem to care either.”

  
“Well, I have ways of knowing where they will be. Or if they are near.”

  
With that enigmatic response he pulled me into a little alleyway I hadn’t noticed - bewitched? – and steered me into line behind him.

  
“Let me do the talking.”

  
_What a cliché_. I scoffed in my head.

  
We reached a door at the end of the alley, where Malfoy knocked thrice. A small bar opened in the door, a pair of large yellowish eyes staring out.

  
“What do you want?” A gravely voiced sounded from behind it.

  
“The usual, two loaves of bread and a pint of milk.” Malfoy answered.

  
I looked at him funny. Why were we ordering food?  
The yellow eyes disappeared, and I heard a lock slide back before the door swung open and a voice said: “Come on then, don’t got all day.”  
Malfoy stepped inside and I clumsily followed, tripping over the floor until I caught my balance. The shop was dark and clouded with various vapours. I could hear a cauldron bubbling in the corner, over a small flame.  
Definitely not a corner shop.

  
The door slammed shut behind us, making me jump.

  
“Now then, give us here the list.” Now my eyes had adjusted to the dark, I realized the shop owner was a house elf as he snatched the list from Malfoy’s offering hand.  
The short elf turned away, disappearing behind the counter and into the shelves. One by one the ingredients popped into existence on the counter in front of us, neatly lined up, until the elf reappeared, carrying the last liquid.

  
“That it, Mr. Malfoy? Or anything for your personal store too?”

  
“Ah yes, I did need a few things now you mention it.” Malfoy mused, searching his pockets before pulling out a second list. Around went the elf again until the ingredients were all present. A snap of the elf’s long fingers had the jars packaged and ready for transport, and a snap of Malfoy’s offered the monetary sum in exchange.

  
“Wonderful, pleasure doing business as always.” The house elf smiled, leading us back to the door.

  
“Thanks, Farley. You stay safe.” Malfoy responded, pausing in the open doorway.

  
The house elf waved on hand empathetically “Ah, I’ll be fine. Go on now.”

  
As soon as the door sealed behind us, any trace of the odorous interior of the shop was gone. I watched Malfoy place the packages inside a small bag – with an Undetectable Extension Charm on it no doubt.

  
“So, clothes?”

  
“Are you really sure this is ok?” I asked as he dragged me along at his rapid pace.

  
“Positive. I find thrift stores fascinating, they often have good stuff, but for now we should get you some more…up-market stuff.” He sounded like he knew what he was doing, so I just trailed along, musing about what he would have thought of thrift stores in his youth.  
A few stores later he had stuffed more than a few bags into his tiny one. We turned back to head for home, when he paused. I nearly ran into him. I was about to complain but caught the look on his face.

  
“Malfoy, what’s wrong?” I whispered.

  
“Death Eaters nearby.” He whispered back, grabbing my arm now and pulling me into an alley.

  
“How do you know?” I hissed, looking both ways down and up the alley.

  
“I’ll explain it later.” He muttered.

  
He pulled out his wand, waving it first at me, then at himself, casting charms so we would be unseen and unheard. And not a moment too soon either – two Death Eaters rounded the corner, coming into the alley, hoods up. My breath caught in my throat, and Malfoy gently pressed me against the wall before squeezing in beside me, so we occupied as little space as possible. The two men approached, closer and closer, I could hear their breathing now –

  
“Fuck!” The loud exclamation nearly made me scream, but I realized one of them had stepped right into a big oil puddle on the ground. “Bloody muggles can’t even keep the fucking streets clean.”

  
I felt Malfoy go rigid beside me. The voice was familiar, but I couldn’t place it.

  
“Just clean it up Goyle, we don’t got all night.” The other man responded, clearly annoyed.

  
_Shit, that was Gregory Goyle. One of Malfoy’s best friends at Hogwarts._

  
“Yeah, yeah, keep your trousers on Jilne.” The broader man replied, pulling out his wand and using Scourgify to clean his boot and robes.

  
When he was done, he straightened his robes and slipped his wand back inside, stepping forward to follow the retreating figure of his fellow Death Eater. As he passed Malfoy he paused again, seeming to sniff the air. I watched his small eyes dart around the alley. Malfoy shrank back towards my side, and I took the cue, feeling my way along the wall, away from the Death Eater, him glued to my side.

  
“Oi have you bloody legs stopped working?” The other one shouted from the opposite end of the alley.

  
Grumbling, Goyle finally turned, walking quickly to meet the one name Jilne. They both turned the corner at the end of the alley and disappeared out of sight. We both let out breaths we didn’t realize we were holding.

  
“Let’s get back, before more come.” Malfoy mumbled, pulling me along and out onto the now dark street, long legs keeping me trotting beside him to keep up.  
We reached his door without any more encounters. Malfoy’s hands were shaking so badly that I grabbed the keys he was trying to fit into the lock and opened it, letting us both in. I shut it firmly behind me, locking it for good measure. I watched Malfoy slump into the couch. Unsure whether it was better to leave him be or talk to him, I decided making something simple to eat wouldn’t be a bad idea either way.

  
“I’m going to make some pasta, do you want some?”

  
“Sure.”

  
He was barely audible, but I nodded, beginning to rummage through cupboard for supplies. Once the water was on and the past measured out, I turned back towards the living room. Malfoy now sat in complete darkness as the last rays of sunlight died. I padded over, turning on two lamps and glancing at the fireplace.

  
“I’d start a fire but…I don’t think I can.” I felt stupid.

  
“I’m not sure I have the focus right now.” His voice was flat.

  
I fled back to the kitchen, placing the past in the boiling water and fetching my wand. Hesitantly, I returned to where Malfoy sat.  
“Will you try to help me?” I ventured.

  
He looked up, eyes tired. I waited. He gestured and I complied, kneeling in front of him, facing the fireplace. His hands on my shoulder manoeuvred me back until my back hit the seat and his legs were on either side of my shoulders. His breath ruffled my hair. On large hand covered the one I held my wand with.

  
“You know the spell?” His voice sounded near my right ear.

  
“Yes.” I steeled myself for disappointment. “ _Incendio_.”

  
Nothing. I could almost feel Malfoy frowning above me.  
“Try again.” He prodded, hands coming both to rest on my temples, cradling my head. “You can do this.”

  
“ _Incendio_.”

  
Where those sparks I saw?

  
His right hand slid down, cupping the base of my neck where it joined my shoulder.  
“You’re an incredible witch Iona, no matter what.” He whispered.

  
“ _Incendio_!”

  
A tiny flicker of a flame danced in the fireplace now. It cavorted and twisted and seemed like it would go out, but suddenly it took, log engulfed in fire now.  
“I did it!” I squeaked, relief flooding me as I turned to face Malfoy, still kneeling.  
His lips were turned up in one corner the slightest amount. His eyes darkened as I held his gaze, silent.  
A noise from the stove made me jump up. I’d forgotten about the pasta, which was now boiling over. I fixed the situation and waited for the noodles to finish cooking before dishing them up and bringing the bowls over to the living room, where a warmth emanated now from the fireplace. We ate in silence.  
Malfoy offered to wash the dishes and I let him, happy to stay near the fire. I heard him sigh heavily as he returned. This time he sat next to me on the floor, long legs extended out to warm his feet.

  
“Are you ok?” I asked, afraid of upsetting him.

  
He fidgeted beside me. “Not really.” He straightened a creese in his pants. “Seeing Goyle again…was weird. And he recognized my smell. That’s why he stopped.”

  
“Was it the first time you’d seen him since…everything happened?”

  
“Yes. I wasn’t even sure he had survived the battle.” He collected his legs now, bending them and hugging them to his chest.

  
Hesitantly, I put a hand on his back, rubbing in small circles. “It doesn’t matter now. He’s chosen his path.”

  
“Yeah.” I heard him sniffle. “You know I was always jealous of people who had real, decent friends.” His damp face shone in the firelight.

  
“You got the short end of the stick in life. But you have good friends now. Pippa, Kif, Mary…me.”

  
He scoffed. “Mary? No, she’s not a friend.” I refrained from asking him why. He’d tell me if he wanted to. “I’m glad I met you again Iona. I always wanted to be your friend, I just never thought we could be.”

  
“Because I’m a half-blood.”

  
“I wish I could go back and kick myself.” He hung his head in shame.

  
“I thought you were done feeling like that?” I jested, nudging him.

  
“Never done, just under a different perspective.” He managed a small smile. “I don’t want to go back tonight.” He whispered, long lashes covering his eyes as he looked at me sideways.

  
“We don’t have to, right?”

  
“No, but I better send a note in case.” He watched me yawn. “Tired?”

  
“Shopping took it out of me apparently.” I joked.

  
“Shall we go to bed?” His question caught me off-guard and my heart flipped.

  
“Huh?” I said stupidly.

  
“I mean I can take the couch if you want, but its bloody uncomfortable. The bed is big enough, if you’re comfortable with that.” He answered, heaving his lanky frame to its feet and offering a hand.

  
“Sure.” I managed, grasping his hand and standing.

  
I followed him up, shivering as the warmth of the living room dispelled and the cold air enveloped us. I watched him place a note inside the cabinet and close the doors. He gestured to the fireplace and a small fire started.  
“I know what we forgot to get.” I mused. He looked at me, awaiting the rest. “Pyjamas.” I giggled.

  
He chuckled. “Here.” He said, tossing some of his own my way from a pile.

  
I nodded in thanks and turned my back to him as he started to shed his coats. Ignoring my insecurity, I quickly pulled my sweater over my head along with the shirt, before shoving my arms into Malfoy’s too large shirt. Next, the pants. Luckily Malfoy was too busy with his own changing he didn’t once glance my way. He folded his clothes neatly, before throwing back the sheets on the bed, beckoning me in.

  
I lay down, Draco Malfoy laying mere centimetres away, in the same bed. I could feel the tension in my left arm, where it almost touched his right one. For some reason, my pinkie finger reached out and met his. He jolted, but didn’t retract his hand.

  
“Thanks for today.” I breathed. “Except for our encounter it felt…nice, normal.”

  
“Things will get better, we’ll get through this. You managed magic today.” I could hear the smile in his voice.

  
“Good night, Malfoy.”

  
“Night, Croft.”


	7. How to Self Sustain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Can we have a pumpkin patch?” Malfoy piped up. “Like the one Hagrid had?”  
> My heart warmed at the mentioned of the groundskeeper. “Oh, that would be amazing.” We smiled together, and Kif agreed fervently, remembering the same thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think my own desires for a vegetable garden leeked (get it??) through in this story - hopefully I didn't bore too many of you!  
> Also, let me know if you prefer this composition, or if you prefer it with more spacing like I've done up til now - I can't figure out which one is easier to read?  
> x

I woke to dull light streaming through the window.  
Draco wasn’t beside me, so I pulled back the sheets, feet hitting the cold floor. The fire, however, was still going or Draco had lit it this morning, lending some warmth to the air. Nonetheless, I pulled on my sweater over the shirt Draco had lent me, and walked into the corridor. I heard a miniscule rustle from the room down the hall, so I followed it, finding the blonde man sitting at his desk, oil lamp lit, shoulders bent forward over his desk as he read.  
“Morning.” I mumbled, leaning against the frame of the door.  
He looked up, eyes rather unfocused, hair tousled, and with glasses on. You didn’t remember him using them. “Oh, morning Iona.” He muttered back, returning his gaze to the papers. “Sleep well?”  
 _Better than I had in years._  
“Yeah fine, thanks.”  
“I’m just finishing some paperwork; do you want to make coffee?” He suggested.  
I nodded, heading down to the familiar kitchen and fishing out the ground coffee from its cupboard, filling up the percolator and turning it on.  
Armed with two steaming mugs of coffee, I returned upstairs, handing a grateful Malfoy his. He offered a chair so I sat to his left at the desk.  
“What are you working on?”  
“Just stating expenditures. Keeping track of what’s spent where.”  
“Including my…disguises?” I jibed.  
“Including those, yes.” He chuckled.  
We fell silent a moment, but for the scratch of his quill on paper and him sipping coffee.  
“Who was the person that hurt you that night?” I suddenly asked. It had been nagging me for some time.  
Malfoy almost choked on his coffee. “Sorry?”  
“The night I helped you. Who hurt you, and why?” I sipped my own coffee, legs crossed, waiting for his answer.  
“It’s complicated, Iona.”  
“Then explain it to me. I think I deserve to know.”  
He looked up sharply at that, familiar sneer of annoyance on his face. “I can’t tell you yet.”  
“Why the hell not? I saved you.”  
“I…can’t trust you with that information.” His grey eyes were swirling with some unknown emotion.  
“Oh, I see.” I bit off, disappointment heavy in my stomach. “I’ll just go wash the mugs then, we should be getting back.”  
“I’m not even done with my co-” He tried to argue, but I was already down the hall, both mugs in hand, trying not to stomp my feet too hard in frustration.  
I managed to wash the dishes without breaking them, setting them to dry before stomping back upstairs and yanking on my clothes. Malfoy came in half-way through and froze in his tracks, but I didn’t even care. I folded his borrowed pyjamas and set them on the bed.  
“You can keep those. Like you said, you don’t have any.” He mumbled, picking up the bag with the potion ingredients and clothes and opening the Vanishing Cabinet. He wouldn’t meet my eye and was making as little noise as possible, as though afraid of sparking me into a rage.  
 _Draco Malfoy was afraid of me?_ I scoffed at the idea.  
“I’d rather not.” I replied flatly, stepping into the cabinet.  
He squashed the emotion that threatened to show on his face, stepping in beside me and beckoning the doors shut.  
I heard the small pop.  
“I’m sorr-” I pushed open the doors, leaving Malfoy half-way through his sentence and heading to my room.  
I showered, water scalding hot and comforting. I stayed for a little longer than strictly necessary, before shutting off the stream to face the cold air. I practically ran back to my warmer room, although I gave the flame jar a hard glare since it had been conjured by Malfoy.  
On the edge of my bed were the bags with my new clothes, and the neatly folded pyjamas Malfoy had lent me last night. Suddenly I felt like a brat. I sighed heavily, picking up the more casual jogging pants we had purchased, and pulling on one of the shirts I already owned. Shoving on socks and a sweater, I decided to go looking for Malfoy to clear the air, after I’d had some more coffee.  
I found Kif and Pippa in the kitchen, just brewing a pot.  
“Oh, Merlin’s beard that smells divine, is there enough for me?” I inquired, nearly melting at the sight of scrambled eggs on toast.  
“Always is.” Kif confirmed, and I gratefully scooped some onto a plate for myself, grabbing the finished pot of coffee as I sat down and serving them first.  
“So, all go alright with the run?” Kif raised an eyebrow across the table. Pippa snorted.  
“Wait, what do you think happened?” I chuckled, puzzled by their looks.  
“Well, you did stay the night…” Pippa jibed.  
“Oh, bloody hell guys.” I laughed. “We ran into some Death Eaters. One of them was…an old colleague of ours and it kind of took it out of us to see him again. We decided to sleep over because of that. Nothing happened.”  
“Did you have to run?” Pippa asked, but |I could still see a glint of amusement behind her stare.  
“No, luckily we managed a cloaking spell. The old schoolmate of ours – his name is Goyle, smelt Malfoy’s cologne, but we managed to get away. The toll was more mental than physical.”  
Kif had sobered up now. “Is the lad alright? He must have known Goyle well if Goyle knew the smell of his perfume.”  
“Yes they…used to be close. I’m honestly not sure how he’s doing right now. We had a bit of a fight; I haven’t gone to talk to him yet.” I hung my head.  
“Yikes. Was that scary?” Pippa asked.  
“What, fighting with Malfoy?” Pippa nodded. “No, actually he seemed quite afraid of setting _me_ off.”  
“To be fair, I wouldn’t want to argue with you either.” Kif chuckled.  
“Wait, why? Am I that horrible?” I asked, mouth agape.  
“No that’s the thing, you seem like the type of person that would be insanely calm and knowing during an argument, but I can imagine if someone really pissed you off your angry aura would be enough to send a werewolf running with its tail between its legs.” Pippa giggled at my expression.  
“I have an angry aura?”  
“No, not normally, but I’ve felt it flare up occasionally when Mary is around.” Pippa admitted. “You just sit there and glare, I swear the temperature drops.”  
“Oh, Merlin’s beard you two!” I laughed.  
I told them about the house elf shop vendor, that we had gone shopping, and the new location of Malfoy’s house being much more upmarket. I offered to wash the dishes and promised to join them in the library soon to discuss more strategy.  
But first, first I had to go find Malfoy. The guilt was churning my gut by now. I hated being at odds with friends, I could never not think of it until I fixed it, even if it wasn’t my fault. The stairs creaked faintly as I ascended, stomach becoming leaden as I reached the top landing and knocked on his door.  
A second’s wait, and the door cracked open, showing one grey eye and a shock of silvery hair.  
“Can I come in?” I was proud my voice didn’t tremble as much as my hands. Social confrontation scared me.  
He seemed to consider it a moment, before stepping back and opening the door enough for me to come inside. The few pieces of clothes he had acquired were laid out on his bed, a few more pieces of paper on his desk.  
I turned back towards where he still stood near the door. Our eyes met.  
“I can’t tell you yet. I’m sorry if that upsets you.” He blurted out before I could say anything.  
“It…does upset me, but I get it. It's sensitive information and you’ve known me very little time. Like I mean, known me now, not before...you know what I mean.” I responded, flustered.  
“It's not that I don’t trust you at all, it's just, there are levels of trust, whether people admit it or not.” He moved to his bed, grabbing a hoodie and pulling it on. His hair was still damp from a shower.  
“I get that. I just, reacted badly when I heard what you said. I didn’t want to stay at odds, I hate that.”  
“I don’t much like it either.” He mirrored, grey eyes sincere.  
I smiled. “Forgiven then?”  
“Forgiven and forgotten.” He affirmed.  
“How are you holding up? Because of…Goyle?” I inquired, rather afraid of the answer.  
“I’m alright, Iona. He’s no longer a part of my life like he was, I can’t carry him around as though he was.” He confessed, sitting on the bed, legs crossed.  
“That’s smart.” I mumbled.  
“Have you seen anyone yet?” He asked, leaning back on his elbows.  
I pointedly didn’t look at the patch of skin that was now exposed between the bottom of his hoodie and the top of his trousers.  
“Yeah, Kif and Pippa were in the kitchen. Haven’t seen Mary.”  
“Did you fill them in?” He asked quietly.  
“Yes, they were real suspicious as to why we’d slept over there.” I laughed it off, but Malfoy’s face remained impassive, some unidentifiable emotion there. “Anyway, I told them I’d join them in the library soon. I haven’t asked, is there anything else beyond research that I can do around here to help?”  
“Well, let’s go down and we’ll chat about that together, see what slack needs picked up.” He suggested, swinging his long legs off the bed and striding to the door, leaving me to follow.  
“Ah, Draco, good to see you back!” Kif greeted as we walked into the library. The two men exchanged a brotherly hug.  
“Where’s my affection?” Pippa pouted, jesting. Malfoy pulled her giving her a squeeze on the shoulder. She smiled.  
“Is Mary in?” Malfoy asked.  
“She’s having tea, in the kitchen.” Pippa informed us.  
“I’ll just have a quick chat with her then, be back in a sec.” Malfoy said, exiting the room.  
I joined Kif and Pippa in the meantime, finding my earmarked page in the current read. “Anything earthshattering while I was gone?” I asked, sitting near the fire.  
“Nothing definitive, we’ve been looking into how we’ll pull this off – and what we’ll do if we can’t.”  
We were already deep in discussion when Malfoy and Mary walked in.  
“Sorry to interrupt guys, but Draco’s told me Iona had asked what else she might help with around here. So, I think it’s time we all think about that.” Mary said, sitting in a chair.  
Malfoy stayed on his feet. “It got me thinking. This place had been secure for us, we’ve had no incidents, it’s isolated enough that I think we can make it pretty permanent. In that perspective, maybe we get a food garden up and running. Iona, I seem to remember you liked Herbology?” He turned to me.  
“I loved Herbology, I’d be so into giving that a try!” I was excited, I’d missed my tiny attempt at a garden in London.  
“How lovely.” Mary remarked. “We’ll need supplies for that, and we’ll have to be careful, we can’t waste resources killing plants.”  
“I’d love to help if I can!” Pippa piped up, directing the question more to me than to Mary.  
“Well yes, that’s why we all need to talk.” Mary established. “If it’s to be successful enough to give us a good amount of food, we’ll need more than one person working on it.”  
“We’ll need a compost pile, for sure.” Kif piped up.  
“Or two.” I added. “Also, we’ll probably need a greenhouse, seeing as it’s quite cold here.”  
“Oh, I’m an idiot!” Pippa cried. “I never showed you the old greenhouse Iona!”  
“How could you!” I faked indignance, excitement mounting at the idea of a greenhouse. I’d always been ridiculously infatuated with the structures.  
“Well, I see you’re all rather interested in the idea. We’ll go over the contents of the garden over dinner tonight and get the supplies when we can.” Mary concluded. “Right, I’ve got things to do.” She proclaimed, rising and saying one last thing to Malfoy before leaving again.  
“A garden?” I all but squealed with excitement at him.  
“Good idea?” He asked, amused grin on his face.  
“Bloody brilliant!” Pippa piped up, seeming just as excited as me.  
“I know we were working on this but…if we’re going to discuss what we’re planting later, can we go see the space now? Please?” I sounded like a little kid but I didn’t care, I was so ecstatic.  
“No time like the present.” Kif suggested.  
We all sprung up onto our feet, grabbing bits of parchment and quills to write down measurements and ideas, and, giggling and chatting, headed to the greenhouse. I even poked my head in to what I had discovered was Mary’s office space – a tiny room in the corner of the living room – to ask if she wanted to come with, but she shook her head without even raising her head from her desk, so I jogged to catch up with the others, just opening the door.  
Outside the day was crisp, but the harsh chill of the early morning was being burned off by some weak autumn sun. Some more trees had shed their leaves, and birds and squirrels could be spotted in the naked branches. Instead of following the path that lead into the forest, we veered off to the left, following what looked like a goat trail around the house and over a small hill at the back. When we crested it, I spotted the greenhouse, tucked in against a few smaller trees, sunlight glinting off what glass was still exposed. It took everything I had not to scream in joy as it bubbled up in me. I picked up my pace, falling in stride with Pippa’s faster feet; we reached the structure first.  
“It’s wonderful.” I remarked.  
The building was around four metres long and three wide, with a small glass door at the far end and vines choking out the glass.  
“We can get rid of the vines easy enough. Some glass needs replacing, it needs a clean inside and out but…it looks like a great space.” Kif remarked.  
“And there’s a flat patch there-” I pointed back towards the house a bit. “-we could use for summer and more hardy root vegetables.” I suggested.  
A further root around the area and we discovered two old but still healthy apple trees in amongst bramble, along with one orange tree and a plum. A nearby hedge held hawthorn and other foraging items that could be used for teas, salads, or preserves. I was nearly vibrating with barely contained excitement when we found a patch of relatively dry grass in the sun to sit down on and write a few notes about what we had found.  
“How about the compost heaps being over there?” Kif pointed to a sunny patch relatively near the greenhouse.  
“That would work, sun helps speed decomposition.” I agreed, writing that down too.  
“Maybe we can even convince Mary to get a few flower seeds too.” Pippa giggled.  
“Only if they are edible bouquets.” Malfoy jested.  
Once we had exhausted our supply of talking points about the new garden, we all reluctantly agreed we should get back to reality and our other work. The rest of the afternoon was spent researching effectiveness and limitations of transfiguring animals to look like people. Malfoy left at some point to aid Mary with something, and when he peeked his head into the library again, it was to call us for dinner.  
Disoriented and bleary-eyed, we tracked him back to the kitchen, where Mary was already sitting at the table, and he was just placing plates on the table, piled high with pasta and vegetable sauce. The warm meal was welcome, and we ate mostly in silence until the edge of our hunger had subsided.  
“So, Mary, we went down to the greenhouse.” I began. “It needs a clean out and some clearing around it. A few glass panes have to be replaced, but for the rest it’s in great shape.” I took my final bite of pasta and chewed quickly before continuing. “We’ll need some wood for shelves and compost piles, and seeds. Soil I’m sure we can find a spell to move some from the surrounding forest where it’s rich, same for water.”  
She looked at me sharply then. “Did you get a wand then?”  
I panicked for a second, but Malfoy stepped in. “We found one. But she’s still adjusting to it.”  
“I see.” She remarked. “Alright. What are you planting?”  
 _You. She really didn’t want to be involved in anything._  
“Well, there’s a few fruit trees there already that just need a bit of a clear, an orange, a plum, and two apple trees. Beyond that we haven’t had a chat yet, we wanted to wait for you.” I gave her a chance to care, I really did.  
“Oh, well you could have just talked about it, I only need to know what supplies we need.” She sniffed, clearly disinterested.  
 _Never mind then._  
Pippa’s eyes met mine over the table and she gave them the tiniest of rolls. I stifled a smirk.  
“Well, I for one want potatoes.” Kif proclaimed.  
I laughed. “Potatoes are key. So are onions, carrots, leeks, garlic, and cabbage or kale.”  
“Can we have a pumpkin patch?” Malfoy piped up. “Like the one Hagrid had?”  
My heart warmed at the mentioned of the groundskeeper. “Oh, that would be amazing.” We smiled together, and Kif agreed fervently, remembering the same thing.  
We discussed back and forth about what we felt would be beneficial, including herbs and tea plants, while Mary washed plates. When we finally came to a conclusion, I wrote it all down on a fresh bit of parchment and handed it to Mary to scrutinize. She read through it, discussing where we’d acquire the goods and assigning Kif to accompany her on a run to get the stuff tomorrow. After that, she excused herself, and left, heading towards her office.  
The four of us talked about the plans until we began to yawn, and one by one we headed to bed. Pippa had already fallen asleep, so Malfoy bent to pick her up, trying to be gentle so he wouldn’t wake her.  
Kif split off from us on the first landing, heading to the left after tossing a sleepy ‘goodnight’ our way, as we veered right to drop off the sleeping girl. I pulled her bed sheets back and Malfoy set her down, only taking off her shoes before pulling her sheets back up over her unconscious form. She sighed contentedly in her sleep.  
“How old is Pippa?” I asked as we continued up the stairs.  
“She’s turning fifteen this year.” Malfoy replied, pausing on my landing with me.  
“How’d she find you, or you her?”  
“We found her. It wasn’t long after things spilled over into the muggle world. Her mother had been killed, and she was still clinging to her body.”  
I felt my stomach clench. “That’s horrible. I’m glad you found her.”  
“So am I. She’s a wonderfully bright girl, I’d protect her with my life.” Malfoy muttered quietly, subdued.  
“I’m sure she feels the same about you guys.”  
“Soon enough she’ll feel that way about you too, I’m sure. She really likes your company.” He chuckled quietly.  
“I enjoy hers. All of yours. I’m glad you found me as well.” I smiled.  
“I’m glad to hear that.” He smiled back, eyes glinting in the low light.  
I hesitated for a moment. “Can I ask you for a favour?”  
He nodded.  
“Can I have a hug? I don’t know why, but I’m feeling anxious.” I felt stupid admitting it.  
“Anxiety doesn’t always need a reason.” He answered, opening his arms, and pulling me into an embrace.  
I sighed, sinking against him, his chest a firm, warm anchor to the chaos in my mind, as I lay my head against it.


	8. Sewing Seeds to Cure Heartache

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “This is great guys, couldn’t have done it without everybody.” I lauded, happily wiping the mix of rain and sweat from my face, no doubt leaving dirt smears in their stead.  
> “Team effort.” Kif agreed, smacking Malfoy on the shoulder.  
> “We can take turns checking stuff, or if we have the time, make it a group activity?” Pippa suggested as we made our way back to the house.  
> “Sounds good to me, hopefully there’s lots of free time.” Kif agreed, chuckling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a huge amount of Malfoy/Iona interaction this time, I'll make up for it next chapter, I promise!

The day broke wet and blustery, rousing me from my sleep with the lashing of rain on my window. For a few moments, I allowed myself to stay in the cosy warmth of my bed, relishing in listening to the storm rage outside whilst I was dry and comfortable.  
After a few mental arguments with myself, I finally rose, grabbing my wand and a change of clothes and heading to the shower. I could hear someone downstairs, but for the rest no signs of anyone. I flipped the water so it started to heat up as I stripped off my pyjamas, folding them. My underwear followed, and I stared at the small heap. I’d need to get my magic working again so I could magic my growing laundry pile clean. I hesitantly grabbed my wand from where it lay on the counter.  
“ _Scourgify_.” I attempted.  
The pile remained where it was. My stomach dropped. _Had that success the other night been a fluke? A one off? Maybe I’d never be able to do it again. Could wizards become squibs?_  
Frustrated, I slammed my wand back down on the counter, stepping into the now steaming stream of water. At least that felt good, washing away some of the more urgent thoughts on my mind. It did however, bring other thoughts to mind. Long, slender fingers, pale hair and narrow hips floated into my mind’s eye. I was in Malfoy’s study, and instead of arguing like we had, he was pressing me up against his desk, his hands everywhere, coffee spilling – I shook my head fervently. _Where had this come from? I was not going to daydream about Draco Malfoy fucking me senseless in his office_. Flustered and frustrated, I ignored the ache that had settled between my legs, shutting off the water and towelling myself dry.  
By the time I reached the kitchen, Pippa was already there, swinging her legs as she ate what looked like porridge.  
“Morning Pippa.” I greeted, pulling out a mug from the cupboard.  
“Morning Iona.” She returned, watching me make coffee. “Make some for me too?” She asked.  
I nodded, adding more grounds.  
“Anyone else up?” I asked, sitting with her while I waited.  
“I saw Malfoy outside earlier. Kif and Mary already left to get the supplies for the garden.” She answered, finishing her food.  
“Oh, wow so I’m the late riser.” I chuckled, getting up to serve the coffee before sitting again.  
“A little.” Pippa smiled over the rim of her cup. “Thanks for taking me to bed last night.”  
“Oh, well, Malfoy carried you, I just came along.”  
“Still.”  
“No worries. So, do you think Kif managed to sneak in any flower seeds?” I joked.  
“If he did, I’ll worship him forever, I can’t see Mary going for that.” She sighed. “Mum used to have fresh flowers in the house every fortnight.” She mumbled.  
“Really? That sounds lovely.” I responded, surprised she had mentioned her mum.  
“Yeah, we didn’t have a ton of money, nor were we poor, but she never minded spending money on flowers, she said it made her happy, and for that, it was worth it.” Pippa’s bottom lip trembled a bit, but her eyes remained dry.  
“She sounds like she was a wise woman.” I smiled at the girl before me, heart aching for her obvious loss.  
“She was.” Pippa thumbed the rim of her empty cup, eyes downcast now.  
We fell silent and I wished I were a better conversationalist. Instead, I stood, walking around the table, and giving Pippa a hug on her shoulders, first lightly, then tighter when she grabbed and held my arms and held them there.  
She sniffed, letting go. “Thanks Iona.”  
“Anytime sweety.” I patted her shoulder and grabbed the dishes, walking over to the sink to wash them.  
Just as I finished, I heard the pop of a portkey and Kif and Mary’s voices in the entryway.  
“Shall we go see what they’ve brought?” I asked Pippa, drying my hands on a towel.  
“Sure.” She put on a small smile, getting up and following me out.  
“How did it go?” I inquired, leaning against the doorframe of the entryway, peering at the bags.  
“Fine, we got everything you need.” Mary remarked, hanging her coat up.  
Kif thumbsed up from behind her, bending to untie his huge boots.  
“Can we start today?” Pippa asked, scuttling sideways to allow Mary through.  
Mary threw an affirmation over her shoulder, already disappearing into her study.  
Kif straightened. “Coffee and breakfast for me first, then I’m set to go figure this out.”  
“Nice.” Pippa enthused.  
“Well we’ve had coffee, but I should probably eat something too.” I muttered, following Kif and Pippa back to the kitchen. “We can discuss which things we can start now, in the greenhouse and outside.”  
Oatmeal in my hand and Kif hot on my heels, we all sat down.  
“So today we’ll have to do the clearing out. Did anyone find a spell for moving soil?” I asked, spooning oats into my mouth.  
“Well, we could try a gouging spell. It should work.” Kif answered. “And a vanishing spell for the weeds?”  
“Or just trim the plants with _Diffindo_ and put them on the compost pile?” Pippa suggested.  
“Perfect! So, about what we’re going to plant. Outside, direct sowing is limited now because of frosts, but I think we can get away with onions, garlic, and some potatoes, and see how they do.” We all looked up as Malfoy came in and greeted us. I recited what he’d missed and continued once he’d sat down. “In the greenhouse, I think we should start some winter lettuces, carrots, spinach, cabbage, and radishes, and see how they react.”  
Everyone agreed with that, so we finished our respective drinks and food and excitedly made our way to the entryway, yanking on coats, levitating the wood planks, and picking up the bags before facing the crisp air outside. Luckily, the rain had subsided to a light drizzle, and we were too anxious to get started to care. We made our way as quickly as we could to the greenhouse without slipping on the muddy path.  
We placed the bags under a large tree nearby, that kept moderately dry underneath due to its ancient, thick canopy. The three of them pulled out their wands. My anxiety spiked, pulling at my stomach. Setting my mouth into a tight line, I pulled out my own wand, hand shaking slightly. I didn’t want to fail again. Especially not with an audience.  
“Pippa, Kif, why don’t you set up the compost bins, and Iona and I will get started on the clearing in here?” Malfoy suggested.  
“Oh sure, keep us out here in the rain.” Kif mumbled good-naturedly but turned back to the wood planks to get to work.  
By the time we stepped into the greenhouse, my hands were full-on shaking. The dull sound of the rain hitting the glass roof wasn’t enough to block out my pounding heart.  
“Iona, how you doing?” Malfoy said in a quiet voice from behind me.  
“Not so hot.” I responded in a strained voice.  
I felt him crowd behind me. “Take a deep breath.” He whispered near my right ear.  
I did, breath stuttering.  
“Close your eyes.”  
I moved my head, glancing at his face. His eyes were encouraging, unjudging. I faced forward again, lids closing. I could feel him behind me, a slight warmth at my back.  
“Now imagine what this place will look like when we’re done.” His voice came from the left this time and my face subconsciously turned towards it ever so slightly.  
And imagine I did. I saw the wood shelves, the potting table with dirt and half-filled pots, pots lined up on the shelves, the green of new sprouts just peeking through dark earth, the smell of fertilizer and greens, a lazy bumblebee droning just outside the window in a patch of wildflowers.  
“It’s beautiful.” I whispered, opening my eyes.  
Malfoy stood in front of me now. “Ready to try?”  
I nodded, swallowing past the lump in my throat and raising my wand and pointing it at the base of a cluster of branches.  
“ _Diffindo_.” For a moment, nothing happened. Then, slow but steady, a slice appeared, from the left to the right and the branches toppled, as though being cut by an invisible knife. The knot of anxiety in my stomach dissipated. “I did it!” I exclaimed.  
Malfoy grinned. “Well done.”  
I raised my wand again and he joined in, making short work of the remaining branches. By the time Kif and Pippa peeked in, the ground was clear and the glass was mostly clean.  
“Looking good!” Kif enthused. “Ready for some shelving soon? We’ve got the compost bins up, let’s get these branches over there.”  
We agreed, levitating the piles (mine floated erratically and at a lower height, but it floated) and walking them to the new compost piles. Shortly after, we had the shelves set up in the greenhouse, and the remaining windows cleaned up.  
“Did you get glass for the missing parts?” I inquired.  
Kif nodded, heading back outside to grab the missing pieces. Once it was all fixed up, it was time to break stone, literally. It turned out Pippa was exceptionally good with earth spells, so she ended up doing most of the work with the _Defodio_ spell, and we gathered up the rich soil, levitating piles one by one until we had enough to fill all the pots.  
“Ok, everyone get in line, we’re each gonna do a veggie until we’ve got them all, yeah?” Kif suggested, plonking down the seed packets.  
It took us another hour to plant everything, water it, label it, and set them all up on the shelves. After that, we gouged a patch of earth outside, planting the outdoor seeds. Once we were done, we surveyed our work, covered in dirt, achy, but thoroughly content with ourselves.  
“This is great guys, couldn’t have done it without everybody.” I lauded, happily wiping the mix of rain and sweat from my face, no doubt leaving dirt smears in their stead.  
“Team effort.” Kif agreed, smacking Malfoy on the shoulder.  
“We can take turns checking stuff, or if we have the time, make it a group activity?” Pippa suggested as we made our way back to the house.  
“Sounds good to me, hopefully there’s lots of free time.” Kif agreed, chuckling.  
We grabbed lunch, Mary twisting her nose at the state of us.  
“Shotgun on the first shower.” Malfoy proclaimed, bounding up the stairs before we could argue.  
Pippa went next, and Kif graciously offered me the next shower. The water was hot and deliciously comforting on sore muscles. I stayed only long enough to let the water run clear, conscious that Kif was still waiting for his turn. I shouted down I was done, and Kif shouted up his thanks.  
I dressed in comfortable jogging pants with extra warm socks and an oversized hoodie, before heading downstairs again. I joined Malfoy and Pippa in the library for another research stint, settling into a chair near the roaring fire, book in my lap.  
Close to two hours later, Malfoy finally broke the silence. “I think I might have found something about the transfiguration we need.” He frowned. “It’s in old German though, and my German is a bit rusty.”  
“You know German?” Somehow, I was surprised.  
“And French, Spanish, Portuguese, a lit bit of Hungarian. And written Latin.” He glanced over at my surprised expression. “I was a Malfoy; I was expected to be…well brought up.”  
“That sounds exhausting.”  
He shrugged. “It was, but at least it’s useful. I’ll see what I can get from the rest of this text, but from the few keywords I see, it could be good.”  
I stretched over the arm of the chair, spine cracking satisfactorily. Malfoy watched me.  
“Well, I can’t see straight anymore, and I think I’ve fallen asleep three times by now.” Kif admitted. “Let’s call it a day. I’m gonna make tea, any takers?”  
I raised my hand.  
“Two teas, coming up.”  
“I need a snack.” Pippa grumbled, following Kif out the door.  
I heard Malfoy get up behind me, and he came into view, stopping in front of the fire to warm himself. He glanced over his shoulder at me.  
“You ok?” He asked.  
“I’m good thanks, tired.”  
“Up for some therapy later?” He smiled, showing me he wasn’t being nasty with his word choice.  
“Sure. Thanks.” I added as an afterthought.  
“We don’t have to.” He frowned.  
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound so ungrateful. Really, I’d love that.” I amended, blushing.  
He nodded, turning back to the fire. Kif returned with my tea, which I accepted with zeal. Malfoy moved to the door after excusing himself, throwing a pointed look over his shoulder at me before he disappeared around the wall.  
I finished my tea and thanked Kif again for making it. Pippa went to her room to have a nap, and Kif offered to rinse our mugs before he too went for a rest.  
I made my way up to my room, stairs creaking under my feet. I peeked into my room, spotting Malfoy there.  
“I thought we’d try here today, if that’s ok with you.”  
“Sure.” I shut my door, feeling flighty.  
“Relax, I’m not going to crucify you.” He chuckled.  
“Sorry, I don’t mean anything by it, it’s just confronting this stuff…I’m used to stuffing it away in a corner and not thinking about it.” I admitted, taking up residence next to him on my bed.  
“I know, Iona. You managed well enough today.”  
“Thanks. I have to admit I tried to magic my clothes clean this morning…it didn’t work.”  
“I see.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs and turning his head my way. “Why do you think it didn’t work?”  
I thought about it for a moment. “You weren’t there to help.” I said in a small voice.  
“You don’t need me to do magic, though.” He answered.  
“I’m aware of that.” I said shortly, annoyed.  
“Try and do it now, I’ll wait here.” He suggested, unfazed by my curt tone.  
I refrained from groaning and headed to the bathroom to stare angrily at my laundry pile.  
“ _Scourgify_.”  
The pile rustled slightly, but remained where it was. I glared at it.  
“ _Scourgify_!” I tried a steadier tone.  
Nothing noticeable.  
“Fucking _Scourgify_!” I growled, waving my wand all wrong in my frustration.  
In return, the damned thing sparked, burning my fingers. I groaned in pain, holding my abused hand to my chest, afraid to look at it.  
“Iona?” Malfoy’s voice sounded behind me, concerned.  
“I’m fucking useless.” I spat, finally looking at my throbbing hand. Blood was seeping out of it where I held it to my shirt, skin burnt and raw.  
I felt Malfoy peer over my shoulder, and his sharp intake of breath at my condition.  
“Come back to the room, I’ll fix that.”  
I blindly followed him out, allowing him to steer me onto my desk chair, where he kneeled in front of me.  
“Let me see.” He coaxed, gently tugging my untouched wrist until I detached my hand from my shirt. His wand glowed as he healed my wounds, lighting his eyes to look ice blue. He finished after a few moments, placing my whole hand onto my lap, cleaning my shirt with a wave of his wand. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have pushed you today.” He mumbled, tips of his ears pink.  
“It’s my own damn fault.” I said bitterly.  
“It’s not your fault. You’re just not in the right state of mind.” He looked scared at my expression. “Which is perfectly normal and alright, love.”  
For some reason, his pet name killed a part of my anger.  
“I’m a lost cause.” I said in defeat, shoulders slumping.  
“None of that. Maybe you need something physical to burn off some of this frustration.” He suggested.  
I immediately squashed the innuendo that clamoured in my head for attention at his suggestion.  
“Like what?” I croaked out.  
“Well, I was taught kickboxing. I could teach you some stuff.” He answered, unaware of my raging hormones. “Maybe getting out would help too. We’ve got a mission you could put your disguises to use for.”  
“Kickboxing sounds great.” I agreed. “What mission?”  
“We’ll start next week then.” He smiled at my interest in the mission. “We need to infiltrate a small get together.”  
“Tell me all about it.”


	9. Death Eaters and Dancefloors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So, what are we looking for?” I asked, conscious Malfoy’s arm was behind me on the back of the bench.  
> “We’re looking for a group of five, six Death Eaters. They’ll probably have women with them to blend in, but they’re here to talk business.” He leaned to place his drink on the table. “Iona, if necessary, I might have to…show some more affection to you so we don’t look out of place.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you imagine Malfoy in a club? Was kind of tempted to put in a dancing Malfoy but...not yet!  
> xx

“I feel weird wearing nice clothes.” I whispered to Malfoy, heels making it hard to keep up with his long stride.  
He seemed to realise my predicament and slowed to match my pace.  
“You look nice, just stop frowning.” He chuckled, adjusting his own elegant attire.  
I took a proper look at him then, taking in his tall frame. He wore loose fitting velvet pants in a deep green colour, a black, tight-fitting blouse that was only mesh from the chest down, and a flowing, heavy cloak also in black. His hair was black tonight, cut short, his face different. We had both taken Polyjuice potion as we left the safehouse, with the hairs of people didn’t know but knew enough about to know they wouldn’t be recognised, and that weren’t too different from our own statures. Malfoy had bought the hairs off of a vendor that dealt exclusively in identity and ensured discretion. He’d also made sure to not let the man get anywhere near his hair.  
I was slightly lighter on my feet tonight, having changed into a svelter-than-me blonde. Luckily the dress still fit appropriately.  
“Next time lets figure out the spells for self-transfiguration, that Polyjuice potion was vile.” I complained.  
“Deal.” He agreed, alien brown eyes glancing my way. “Take my arm, we’re getting close.”  
I complied, slipping my delicate hand onto his forearm. Part of his cape slid over my shoulder.  
“If anyone asks, your name is Silvia Gort. Mine is Leo Gort.” He mumbled as the club came into view ahead of us.  
“Married recently, both purebloods, supporters but not Death Eaters. I remember.” I mumbled back.  
“Remember the mission?” He got closer to me as we sauntered up to the door, placing a hand gently on my hip.  
Fighting my sudden brain fog, I whispered. “Intel on Death Eater activity.”  
He didn’t answer, instead giving me an encouraging squeeze as we reached the door.  
The door guard looked us up and down, eyes lingering on Malfoy’s transformed face. I started to get anxious we’d already been discovered, but I spotted the blush on the man’s face as he broke eye contact. He was just attracted to Malfoy’s disguise, no need to panic.  
“Evening.” Malfoy stated, small smile on his lips.  
“Good evening sir, please.” The guard’s blush had spread to his neck, and he stepped aside to allow us entry.  
As soon as we stepped inside, I could feel vibrations of music shocking up my legs, feel it like a heartbeat in my chest. I gripped Malfoy’s arm a little bit tighter as we stepped through the second door, and the music hit us. It was loud but not obnoxious, and sultry in its tone and lack of lyrics.  
“Drink?” Malfoy nudged.  
“Should we?”  
“Be weird not to. What’s your poison?”  
“Whiskey, with ice.” I answered.  
He quirked an eyebrow. The expression was so Malfoy I was afraid we’d be caught right there. But no one shouted, no one came running.  
“We’re in Scotland aren’t we?” I said.  
He smirked, turning to the bartend.  
“Two whiskeys on the rocks. Yep, Laphroaig if you have it.” I heard him order, tossing a galleon onto the counter and beckoning me closer. He leaned down when I was next to him, sliding his hand to rest on the small of my back. “Don’t stray too far, wizards all over this club are staring at you.” He whispered in my ear.  
I shivered at his hot breath, and felt a little thrill at the attention. But that was the thing, they were looking at Silvia Gort, not me. My confidence deflated a little. It was stupid, I knew that, I wasn’t here to impress anyone, but putting on the new clothes before the Polyjuice potion…it had felt like I was going out on a date, or doing something nice, normal. But even this was just a means to an end, and I couldn’t even enjoy it in my own body. Petty and small? Yes, but it made sense to my ego right now.  
Malfoy noticed my sudden slump but didn’t comment, steering me instead to the back of the room where the music was a little quieter and occupying a booth there with me. He pulled me closer and I firmly told myself it was for the disguise. I rose the glass to my lips, sipping. It wasn’t what I expected, the smoky flavour delightful.  
“What is this?” I asked.  
“Is it ok? I thought you might like it. It’s a muggle whisky called Laphroaig, it has a characteristically peaty taste.”  
“It’s really nice.” I conceded, glancing around the room.  
There were a bunch of witches and wizards on the dancefloor, bodies meshing and coming apart, hair twirling, hands reaching, entwined, grabbing. Around the bar were more, some alone, some clearly with a partner. If you looked hard enough, you could see the air of tension underlying it all. People were waiting for something, not quite relaxed.  
“So, what are we looking for?” I asked, conscious Malfoy’s arm was behind me on the back of the bench.  
“We’re looking for a group of five, six Death Eaters. They’ll probably have women with them to blend in, but they’re here to talk business.” He leaned to place his drink on the table. “Iona, if necessary, I might have to…show some more affection to you so we don’t look out of place.”  
My stomach lurched. “What?”  
“I might have to touch you; we’re supposed to be a married couple after all. Plus, if we just stare at them from across the table, they’re going to catch on.” He met my eyes. “Are you alright with that?”  
I looked past the alien face staring at me. Behind it I could see Malfoy’s concern in his eyes.  
“That’s fine.” I swallowed past the lump in my throat, fire burning in my lower abdomen.  
Something sparked behind his eyes, but he tore them away as a hush came over the group nearest to us.  
“They’re here.” He whispered in my ear, arm coming off the seat back to rest on my shoulders, hand starting to trace lazy circles on my naked arm.  
I shivered, leaning into him, familiar scent of pine enveloping me. A mass of black cloaks, the group we were looking for took up residence at a table near us. They did, indeed bring woman, all beautiful, but looking as though someone had sucked their soul out. Maybe someone had. I subconsciously leaned more into Malfoy in self-defence. Something was wrong with those girls.  
“Yaxley, where’s Marcus? He was…to be here.” The conversation floated in and out over the music.  
“You’re staring too hard, Iona.” Malfoy grumbled in my ear in warning. His free hand reached over, pulling me into his lap in one deft movement. I didn’t even think a man could easily pick me up with both arms, much less swing me over like that with one. I’d always been a little self-conscious about my weight, even though I wasn’t considered fat, not really. Then I remembered the body I was in. _Right. That’s why_. Malfoy felt me stiffening and mistook it for reluctance.  
“I have to do something like this, a few of them have glanced this way already.” He hissed in my right ear.  
“It’s not that…never mind. I’m fine.” I whispered back.  
His hand rested on my thigh, a warm heavy weight. “Tell me.” He grabbed his drink back from the table and I watched his Adam’s apple bob up and down as he swallowed its contents.  
“Its stupid. Just ignore me. Focus on their conversation.” I mumbled, burying my face against his chest so he couldn’t meet my eyes.  
I heard him sigh, but he didn’t press it further.  
“…need to move. Next week.”  
We both perked up, listening intently.  
“Lord Voldemort will be there?”  
“Not yet…this week…just for the regulars.”  
“What about…”  
“No Selwyn, we already discussed this…be forgotten.”  
I felt Malfoy shift and remembered to breathe.  
“Anything from that?” I whispered.  
“Nothing concrete, something about Voldemort but I don’t think we’re ready to take advantage of anything this soon anyway.” He whispered against my shoulder.  
My skin broke out in goosebumps.  
The group ordered another round of drinks and talked about things that seemed uninteresting, some pulling the nearest blank-eyed girl into their lap. Around twenty minutes later, when both Malfoy and I had very little drink left, the group suddenly stood, chairs scraping, and headed to the door, the girls trailing behind, sequinned dresses glinting.  
“I thought they’d never leave.” Malfoy mumbled. I moved to get off his lap, but his grip tightened. “Stay a moment longer, they might have eyes in the club.”  
I stayed, only leaning to get my drink and slip the last of the whisky into my throat. The taste of it coupled with Malfoy’s warmth were making my head spin.  
“I’m going to finish my drink. Then lean into me as though you’re asking me to leave now. I’ll agree and we’ll get out of here.” He advised, grip on his glass a little too tight.  
I waited for him to throw back the remaining whisky, before leaning into him as though to whisper in his ear. I felt his hand slide from my thigh to my waist and he faked nodding, before we slowly disentangled ourselves from one another. As soon as we had cleared the table, he stepped in behind me, crowding into my space and placing a hand back on my waist. I had the impression of a few more faces and the smell of smoke, before the freezing outdoor air slapped me in the face.  
“Merlin’s tits it’s icy.” I grumbled as soon as we got out of range of the bodyguard, who had taken a longing glance at Malfoy as we left.  
“Here.” Malfoy threw the left side of his large cloak over my shoulders, wrapping his arm around them too to keep it in place.  
We walked in silence to the place we knew the portkey would be waiting for us, me uncomfortably conscious of the wetness pooling between my legs, turning cold in the wind. I cursed myself in my head and focused on not breaking an ankle in these heels. I hadn’t had a libido since the war had been lost, always justifying it to myself that I was selfish for wanting pleasure in such a fucked world, but Malfoy, of all people, seemed to have reignited it. There was no way, however, I wanted him to know that. _It was probably only happening because he was the first male to even come near me in years._ My inner voice didn’t however, take into account that Kif had no such effect on me.  
“Should be just ahead, behind that tree.” I registered Malfoy’s voice, nodding in return.  
The portkey this time was a single, unopened pinecone, which ripped us out of the city and threw us back into Malfoy’s room in the safehouse.  
“Thank Merlin.” I proclaimed as I finally kicked off the damned heels. My dress felt tighter, and one look down told me the effects of the Polyjuice had begun to wear off. My hair was bleeding back to its auburn colour, growing back to its normal length. I glanced at Malfoy, who currently had one grey and one still brown, hair also growing and paling in colour rapidly. “Just in time I guess.” I said.  
“Seems like it.” He answered, going silent for a moment. “Well I know I’m not going to be able to sleep yet. I’m going to make some tea, if you’d like some too.”  
“I’d like that, I’ll just get dressed in something a but more comfortable.” I responded, swooping to pick up the heels discarded on the floor and opening his bedroom door to head down to mine.  
It was pleasantly warm in my room as I stripped and tugged on my pyjamas. I would have showered, but the thought of getting wet right now was putting me off it. _Not that I’m not wet in some places already._ I admonished myself. Grabbing my hoodie, I padded down to the kitchen, wondering if anyone else was still up. I found only Malfoy in the kitchen, waiting by the stove for the kettle to boil.  
“Everyone in bed?” I asked, leaning on the opposite counter.  
“It _is_ two in the morning.” Malfoy responded with a quirk of his head at the wall clock.  
“Didn’t realise it was that late.” I mumbled, fetching two mugs from the cupboard. “What tea do you want?” I asked, opening the cabinet where they were kept.  
“Good old-fashioned chamomile for me please.” Malfoy responded, turning off the heat as the kettle started to whistle.  
I decided on the same, chucking the bags into the mugs and watching Malfoy pour the steaming liquid in after.  
“Sit in the library?” He inquired once we both had our teas.  
I nodded, following him out the kitchen and flicking off the light switch behind us. There were still a few embers burning in the hearth, and the night’s cold had not yet stolen away the remaining warmth of the room. Malfoy sat directly in front of the fire instead of on one of the chairs, and I joined him, happy for the added warmth.  
“Since that was my first mission, how did that go?” I asked, sipping quietly.  
“Fine, didn’t get much from what they talked about, but at least now we’re sure Voldemort will be in the area within the next week or two. We’ll keep our activity to a minimum, don’t want any unwarranted attention.” He answered, now fully back to his own features.  
I briefly wondered if I looked 100% myself yet.  
“What was up with those girls they had with them?” My question hung in the air a moment.  
“They were cursed. With _Imperio_.”  
“What? Fuck that’s horrible.”  
“Yes. They find women they like the look of and curse them to be their living dolls. It’s disgusting.” Malfoy spat. “Father…Lucius did it once or twice. It ripped my mother’s heart apart, both for the betrayal and for the disgusting act.”  
A heavy silence fell between us.  
“What made you seize up when I pulled you to my lap?” He asked a few minutes later, eyes meeting mine over the tea mug.  
“I’m just not used to people touching me right now.” I fibbed, breaking eye contact.  
He sighed. “Iona, you said in the club that it was stupid and to ignore you. If it were that simple, you could have just told me then.”  
I scolded myself. Why hadn’t I just used the excuse right away?  
“I…was thinking how easy it had been for you to swing me into your lap, I never thought it could be that easy with my weight, but then I remembered I wasn’t really in my body.” I blurted out, regretting the moment I did.  
“That made you angry?”  
I glanced at him. He had put his mug down now, hugging his knees to his chest.  
“I felt stupid for having even thought of that. There’s people dying, girls being _Imperio_ ’d and I’m worrying about petty shit like that. I hate myself for it.”  
He turned to the fire for a moment, grey eyes painted copper in its light. “Why do you think I wouldn’t be able to pick you up?”  
“Because…I’m…well I’m not thin.”  
“You’re not fat either.” He retaliated. “Who told you you were?”  
There it was.  
“An ex-boyfriend of mine.”  
“Well, he was an idiot. Forget the bullshit he said. You’re a beautiful woman Iona, don’t let some repressed wizard convince you otherwise.” He stared at me from under snowy eyelashes.  
“He was a muggle. I met him during the summer.”  
“Let me prove something to you.” Malfoy said, standing.  
I looked up at him inquisitively but took his proffered hand. As soon as I was on my feet, I was off them again, Malfoy grabbing me up and holding me bridal style. His arms were strong and steady, no shaking.  
“See, no worries.” He muttered, looking down at me.  
My heart was threatening to flee the cage of my ribs, and I could feel Malfoy’s own against my arm. We stared at each other a moment, before Malfoy shook his head ever so slightly, setting me down again.  
“Should get to bed.” He mumbled, stepping out my personal space and scooping up the mugs from the floor.  
“Yeah, right.” I answered, still standing where he had left me.  
I listened to him wash the mugs and his footsteps approach again.  
“You ok?” He asked.  
“Never better.”


	10. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You wanted to talk?”  
> He tucked a long leg under himself, angling himself towards me. “What happened with Mary? You seemed…weird when you came back.”  
> I subconsciously rubbed my arm under my hoodie sleeve. Malfoy’s eyes flitted to the movement. He quirked a questioning brow.

I wiped my brow, sweat pearling there from my exertions despite the cool air. I found Malfoy’s gaze behind me, his naked chest glistening in the morning sun, heavy breaths fanning out in vaporous clouds.  
“Ready to go again?” He asked, smile tugging at his lips.  
“I was just waiting for you to catch up.”  
He chuckled as I bent to pick up the basket of apples we had just filled up. We’d had to fend off pixies whilst trying to harvest the small orchard we had, and the added energy of dealing with pixies tripping us, pulling our hair, and stealing apples had made both of us nearly expire. I took the full basket to the greenhouse, shutting it inside against stealing pixie fingers, and grabbing another basket to fill up.  
By the time I got back Malfoy had pulled his shirt back on, warmth obviously seeping into the frigid air now he was still.  
“One more to go?” I inquired.  
“Yeah, there’s only about a basket left on the plum tree.” Malfoy answered, accepting the basket I extended to him, and heading over to the tree in question.  
I followed, shaking my head at myself when I caught myself staring at his cute butt.  
The last basket I brought up from the greenhouse was extra heavy, and I was tired by the time I plonked it down on the kitchen counter.  
“Wow!” Pippa exclaimed as she came into the kitchen, empty mug in her hand. “That’s a lot of fruit.”  
“Yeah, gotta figure out what we’re going to do with the majority of it, because we’re not going to be able to eat it all.” I answered.  
“Well, I’m sure we have some recipes in the library somewhere, right Draco?” Pippa grabbed a plum, sinking her teeth into it.  
“Must have yes. I’m sure I brought one.”  
 _Malfoy had cookbooks?_  
“Well, it’s the weekend, can we cook together?” Pippa begged, finishing her plum. “I refuse to sit in the library reading dusty books today.”  
“Sure, I’m up for that.” Malfoy said, heading out the kitchen door for the library. “Where’s Kif at?”  
“Last I saw he was smoking outside.” Pippa responded as we followed him.  
“Mary?” I inquired. I saw Malfoy twitch.  
“Who cares?” Pippa grumbled. “She never wants to participate anyway.”  
I didn’t answer. It was true, she didn’t, but I felt bad if I didn’t at least give her a chance.  
We followed Malfoy through the stacks until he paused in front of a large, tattered book.  
“Here it is.” He mumbled, pulling the book out and smoothing his hand over the cover.  
I briefly wondered whose book it had been. It was obviously old and passed down. We both watched as he opened it and leafed through, finally pausing about mid-way through.  
“Shall we try some jam and applesauce?” He asked, grinning at Pippa as she nodded with enthusiasm.  
I peeked my head into Mary’s office while Malfoy and Pippa started peeling apples. She was bent over her desk, scribbling something.  
“Mary?”  
She started, whirling around to face me. “What the hell do you want, Iona?”  
“Merlin’s bear Mary, I was just going to ask you if you wanted to help us make jam, we picked the fruit off the trees.”  
She advanced on me, grabbing my arm in a painful grip, nails biting into my pale skin. I tried to pull back, but she just tightened her grip.  
“Stop acting like you care. You come here, steal Draco from me, and gain everyone’s favour. I don’t give a shit about your jam, leave me the hell alone. I’ve got work to do.”  
She released my arm, going back to scribbling. I almost wondered if that had actually just happened, but the ache on my arm left no doubt. Not knowing what to say, I left quietly, gathering myself and pulling down my sleeves before joining Malfoy and Pippa in the kitchen.  
Malfoy looked at me inquisitively, but I shook my head, picking up a peeler and an apple. He looked like he wanted to ask about it, but I gave him a warning look over Pippa’s head.  
About an hour later, Kif joined us. “What smells so bloody good in here?”  
“Applesauce, plum jam, plum pie, apple pie, and marmalade.” I announced, looking over our bubbling pots and steaming pies.  
“Should have had a look at that greenhouse sooner, eh Draco?” He shouldered Malfoy playfully.  
“Pippa can you help me get the plum jam off the boil? It should be ready soon.” I asked, unaware of the appreciative glances I was receiving from Malfoy, nor the elbow Kif jabbed into his side.  
We spent the rest of the afternoon putting the jams and applesauce in magically cleaned jars, managing a decent amount of them by the end. We scraped the bottom of the pans with toast, happily munching and chatting, world forgotten for the moment.  
“Well, I’m off to read something actually interesting.” Pippa proclaimed, getting up and casting a spell that cleaned all the pans, stacking them neatly. She shrugged at my quirked eyebrow. “Well did any of you actually want to wash those by hand? I think not.”  
She skipped out the door, humming some tune.  
“I think I need a shower.” I said, pushing up from the table. “See you later guys.”  
I stripped off my dirty clothes, stepping into the hot stream of water. It felt amazing on my sore muscles. I felt a twinge and looked down. My arm was red and Mary’s nail marks were still visible, small crescent moons of blood. A knock on the door startled me.  
“Iona?” It was Malfoy’s voice, slightly muffle through the wood.  
“Yeah, I’ll be out in a sec.” I answered, very aware I hadn’t locked the door, and if Malfoy chose to come in there’s no way he wouldn’t see me. The thought of that made me squeeze my legs together.  
“No worries, I just wanted to talk to you. Can I wait in you room?”  
“Sure.”  
I heard his footsteps head away.  
I finished washing quickly, shutting off the water and grabbing a towel. I realized I hadn’t brought in fresh clothes. And now Malfoy was in my bedroom.  
“Hey, um, mind just staying there with your back turned?” I asked when I arrived at my doorway.  
He glanced my way, then nodded, tips of his ears pink.  
I opened my trunk, putting on my pyjamas and transferring my towel to my head, very conscious of the man sitting to my left. When I was done, I circled round to where he could see me.  
“You wanted to talk?”  
He tucked a long leg under himself, angling himself towards me. “What happened with Mary? You seemed…weird when you came back.”  
I subconsciously rubbed my arm under my hoodie sleeve. Malfoy’s eyes flitted to the movement. He quirked a questioning brow.  
“She was just snappy, that’s all.” I evaded his searching eyes.  
“Bullshit, you’ve never been that shaken before. You nearly cut yourself five times when we first started.”  
I opened my mouth, then shut it again.  
“Show me your arm.” Malfoy had stood and was now in front of me, hand reaching for my sleeve.  
I let him grasp my arm and push up the sleeve. The frown on his face deepened as he saw the deep purple bruising and the scabs.  
“She did this?” He whispered, pulling my arm towards his face for scrutiny.  
I stepped in to accommodate the new angle on my arm, quite aware of Malfoy’s body heat.  
“Yes. She…got angry, told me she didn’t care, that I’d…stolen you and the others away from her.”  
“Stolen me away?” His gaze caught mine, something slithering behind his grey orbs.  
“Yeah, she said stolen you, and gained everyone else’s favour.”  
He scoffed, pulling out his wand and using a healing spell on my arm.  
“Thanks. Were you and her…?” I asked, unsure if I wanted to know the answer.  
He sighed, stepping towards the window. “We were lovers, for a time.”  
 _I wonder what it’s like to have Malfoy as a lover_. My lower stomach clenched.  
“I told her from the start that it wasn’t…that I didn’t love her.” He continued. “That it would be purely physical.”  
 _Stop thinking about that, what he’d be like._  
“She agreed to those conditions. When I told her I wasn’t interested anymore, that my attraction to her had faded, she…took it badly.”  
 _No wonder._  
“But why does she think I stole you?” I asked quietly, staring at his back.  
He glanced in my direction over his shoulder. “Well, I broke it off with her not long before I found you and…well we’ve spent some time together.” He sighed. “Has she been worse after the night we spent at my place?”  
“Well…yes.” I answered, head spinning.  
“No doubt she thinks we’ve…” He caught my gaze. “How do the muggles say it? Shacked up.”  
I swallowed loudly. He held my gaze for a moment longer.  
“I’ll have a word with her.” He finally said, breaking eye contact. “Pain gone?” He inquired, motioning towards my arm.  
It was still tingling, but the pain had subsided. “It’s fine now. Thanks.”  
“Why didn’t you heal it right away?” He asked, turning back towards me.  
“I…I guess I didn’t even think about it, I was so shaken up.” I answered.  
“But your magic is still working?” His tone was careful.  
“I guess so, I haven’t tried it recently, to be honest.”  
“Let me know if it doesn’t.” He muttered, heading to my door. “I’ll leave you to relax, I see you’ve taken out some books for reading. I’ll go have a chat with Mary now.”  
I nodded, watching him leave. Sighing heavily, I lay down on my bed, reaching for my book.  
I woke in the dark, deep sensation of something being wrong settled in my stomach. I got up, bare feet slapping quietly on the floor, and made me way to Malfoy’s room. I didn’t feel cold, even though I had left my hoodie behind and the wind whistled through cracks in the house. A small push opened Malfoy’s door.  
“Malfoy?” My voice sounded small in the cavernous dark.  
Only the sound of squeaking reached my ears. I stepped into the room, flipping my wand out and casting _Lumos_.  
The scene that met my eyes nearly made me gag. There was bloody dripping from the walls, pieces of torn flesh hanging from the ceiling and globs of it pooling on the ground. And in the middle, on the bed, Malfoy’s mangled corpse lay unseeing, Mary’s own body rising above his. Up and down, up and down. I realised with a sickening clarity that she was fucking him, his dead or dying corpse.  
I choked on my tongue, shooting up in bed, strangled cry dying in my throat. I had to help him, had to –  
I shot up out of bed, fleeing my way up the stairs to Malfoy’s room, eyes clouded with unshed tears, heart pounding. I burst through the door, into his room, dark as it was, still lighter than I had seen before, light enough that I could just make out his form on the bed, where it was rising.  
“Iona?” His voice was sleepy. “Are you alright?”  
I nearly broke down, stumbling blindly forward onto his bed, ripping back the covers and searching for the hem of his shirt.  
“Iona, what are you… _Lumos_.”  
In the newfound light I finally found the hem of his shirt, pulling it up. The skin beneath it was flawless, warm. I smoothed one hand onto it, head still confused and panicked. His warm hand closed over mine.  
“Iona, what is going on?” He whispered.  
“I…” My mind reeled again and then, finally, settled. “I had a nightmare.” I was sure of it now, where moments ago I had not. I realised my hand was still flat on his stomach. I removed it.  
“What did you dream?” He asked, guiding me to sit next to him.  
“It’s too horrible to say.” I shook my head, pulling my knees up against my chest.  
“Well then, take a moment, but I’d like to hear what made you come running to check if my stomach was still intact.” He said, rising to light another oil lamp. “ _Nox_ ”  
The cold light of the spell went out, leaving only the warmth of flames flickering behind glass. He returned to the bed, sitting up next to me.  
“I…came here, felt something was wrong.” I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “There was blood…everywhere. You were ripped apart. Mary was…on top of you. Oh, Merlin in was horrendous. You must think me crazy.” I buried my head in my knees, heart still erratic.  
I felt his large hand slide across my shoulder, settling in the middle of my back.  
“You’re all right, Iona, just shaken up.” He stroked my back in circles. “Let’s get some rest.”  
I nodded, moving to get up.  
“I meant…well, you can stay if you want.” He extended the invitation, almost as if he knew what I wanted.  
“You wouldn’t mind?” My voice quivered.  
He shook his head, arms circled around his legs.  
I retuned to the bed, uncertainty withering when he opened the sheets, gesturing for me to lie next to him. I did, heart beating fast again. I felt him stretch his legs, sheets moving slightly in their wake.  
“You ok?” His voice sounded deeper this close.  
“I guess. How did your talk with Mary go?” I mumbled, itching to scoot closer to him.  
“I’ll tell you tomorrow.”  
“Alright.”  
I shifted. So did he. Our arms touched between us, sending a bolt of exhilaration in its wake.  
His long, lean fingers skated across my wrist, slipping in between my own.  
On a whim, I turned to my side, pulling his arm and settling its length into the crook of my waist. I waited. He shifted again, pulling himself closer, close enough I could feel his breath on the nape of my neck. His knee nudged my leg forward, wrapping around the curve of mine, resting lightly on the leg I kept straight. I could feel his heartbeat in his fingertips, where they now gently lay against my belly. The final chill on my back was banished by his warmth.  
“Night Draco.”  
“Night.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed that little bit of... misdirection in the beginning. >:) Drop a comment or a Kudos!  
> Things will heat up soon, I promise :D  
> x


	11. Strippers and Salvation 1.0

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Why didn’t we just take the Vanishing Cabinet then?” I asked as we spilled out onto a bustling street.  
> “It’s on the other side of the city, and we’re late already.”  
> I glanced at the sky. The last of the light was disappearing. The days were getting shorter. I briefly caught a look at the sign as we ducked into a small shop. ‘Amsterdam Deli’ it read. Why the hell are we going into a deli?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone leaving comments and Kudos! It makes my day :) Hope you enjoy this chapter, things are going to get interesting >:)  
> xx

I woke warm and comfortable, groggily raising my head. My eyes met the smooth, inked skin in front of me. I frowned in confusion, looking up. Above me was the long expanse of Malfoy’s neck, textured where his beard was, silky where it wasn’t. He must have shed his shirt sometime in the night. His collarbones were exquisitely fine and curved beautifully into his shoulders. He shifted and I quickly dipped my head back down. I felt him stretch, muscles vibrating as they did with particularly satisfying stretches. He must have realised I was still there in front of him, because he suddenly paused.  
“Iona?” He whispered.  
“Mhm.” I hummed back, pretending I had just woken.  
“Sleep alright?” He shifted, placing his elbow underneath him and falling onto his side.  
I tried not to think about how good he looked with his hair mussed from sleep, grey eyes sleepy still.  
“Fine, thanks.” I managed in a strangled voice, trying hard not to stare at anything.  
“No more nightmares?”  
“No, all good.” I propped myself up too. “What time is it?”  
Malfoy glanced towards the window, thin light draining in. “Somewhere before sunrise.”  
“I should go.” I mumbled, turning away from the wizard in front of me.  
He didn’t answer, but I felt his eyes on me as I stood and folded back the sheets behind me, heading for the door, not daring to glance back at him lest I lose resolve and crawl back into the bed.  
 _What was up with me? This was Draco Malfoy for fuck’s sake. I couldn’t pine after the Malfoy heir like a schoolgirl._ I shook my head at myself.  
I found it hard to concentrate for the remainder of the morning, although dusty books didn’t provide much diversion. My mind’s eye was constantly invaded with thoughts of pale skin just waiting to be kissed, licked, bitten – I cleared my throat, sitting up straighter in the chair.  
“You alright there Iona?” Kif inquired. “You’ve been squirming in tha’ chair for the last three hours.”  
I watched Malfoy’s head rise, eyes innocently inquisitive. Too innocent.  
“Sorry, just restless today.” I responded. It wasn’t completely untrue.  
“Well, I think we’ve had enough reading, don’t you? Let’s get lunch and then actually try to apply some spells.” Kif suggested, snapping his book shut.  
“I’ll second that.” Pippa enthused, bouncing out her chair towards the kitchen.  
We ate jam on toast and leftover pie for lunch, and I couldn’t help but notice Mary hadn’t showed up once yet. I had yet to hear from Malfoy how their conversation had gone.  
We brought steaming mugs of coffee and tea back to the library.  
“Well, shall we try some transfiguration then?”  
Four hours later I was exhausted, and judging by everyone’s faces, so were they. I’d managed a weak transfiguration of a book into what largely resembled a giant scarab beetle. The rest of them had managed more complicated transfigurations of books into varying mammals. A cat, a rather large rat, and a russet-coloured fox.  
“It’s a start.” Malfoy stated, finally putting away his wand.  
Pippa’s fox sniffed her fingers. “Can we keep them like this?” Pippa asked. “I much prefer a fox to a book about witch etiquette.”  
“The transfiguration will eventually wear off, but go ahead, keep it that way for now, I don’t think _that_ book will be missed.” Malfoy answered, glancing at his cat transfiguration. “This on the other hand – _Reparifarge_.” The cat hissed and turned back into a book on defensive spells. “Well, that’s a wrap for today. Iona, we’ve got another mission, if you’re up to it.”  
My head came up sharply. “Oh?”  
“Just got the intel at lunch. Come on, I’ll fill you in on the details.”  
Pippa groaned something about never being old enough to go on missions as I exited after Malfoy, following him upstairs. He turned into my room, opening my trunk for me.  
“Get out that silver dress.” He motioned for me to dig it out.  
“Why that one?” I asked, rather perplexed, but complying until the metallic, silky feeling of the dress material met my fingers.  
“Because that’s the one you look stunning in.” He said it so matter-of-factly I almost didn’t understand him.  
I blushed heavily. “So, what’s the mission, and why didn’t you let me know sooner?”  
He turned his back to me, which I took as a signal to change. “Like I said, we only got the intel at lunch and…I didn’t want to break your concentration.” I yanked up the dress hurriedly, conscious I was standing there in my underwear. When I didn’t interject, he continued. “This is a big mission, Iona, it’s going to entail some pretty convincing acting. Are you alright with that?”  
“What kind of acting? I’m done you can turn around.” I answered, tugging the final folds of fabric into place.  
He did, eyes roving over my form. “No bra.”  
I nearly choked on my own saliva. “I’m sorry?”  
“Take the bra off, it’ll look better without it.” He repeated.  
I felt my cheeks warm. I reached behind, undoing the clasp and pulling the straps off my arms, discarding the garment into my trunk.  
“You’ll need a coat. As for the acting well…it’s a certain type of club we’re going to.”  
I finished fishing around, pulling out a long white coat. “What kind?”  
“It’s a strip club.”  
I followed him out of my room and up to his, mind racing. “Ok, but I won’t have to strip, will I?” I joked.  
He made a noise that I couldn’t discern the meaning of. “No. But there is a certain atmosphere there…if you get my meaning.”  
“Just tell me what we might need to do, Malfoy.” I was tired of the vagueness of his statements.  
It was my turn to turn away as he shed his comfortable clothes, conjuring his fancy ones from his trunk. An image of him, lying on his side in bed, torso naked, flashed in my mind. I shook my head.  
“You’ll have to sit on my lap. And we’ll need to show some sign of…well not affection exactly – lust?”  
My muscles between my legs clenched. “Alright.” I managed in a weak voice.  
“I want to make sure you’re ok with that.” He was shrugging on a blazer over his silk blouse.  
“Yeah, that’s fine.” I affirmed, heart pounding.  
“Good, come here.” He gestured for me to stand in front of him.  
I did, wondering what he was going to do. Practice?  
Instead, he rose his wand, pointing it at my face and muttering a transfiguration spell. I felt my face shift slightly. It was an odd sensation.  
“So, you’re already proficient in transfiguration.” I stated, wondering why he’d even joined us this afternoon.  
“Even though it’s more advanced than what we worked on today, I’ve had more experience working on this. I’ve had to use it quite a few times.” He muttered, turning his wand to his own face.  
I watched as his hair grew short, his beard disappearing all but for a 5 o’clock shadow, growing dark. His eyes became more almond shaped, irises a chocolate brown, lips thinning. I wondered what I looked like. I supposed it didn’t matter as much, I was much less popular than the Malfoy heir.  
“Ready?” He inquired, voice still his own.  
“As I’ll ever be.” I responded, taking his proffered hand. In his other he held a benign looking watch.  
The portkey tugged us, and we were suddenly standing in a dark alleyway.  
“Where are we exactly?”  
“London this time.” He answered, pulling me towards the end of the alley.  
“Why didn’t we just take the Vanishing Cabinet then?” I asked as we spilled out onto a bustling street.  
“It’s on the other side of the city, and we’re late already.”  
I glanced at the sky. The last of the light was disappearing. The days were getting shorter. I briefly caught a look at the sign as we ducked into a small shop. ‘Amsterdam Deli’ it read. _Why the hell are we going into a deli?_  
I remained silent, following Malfoy’s weaving figure until we reached the back, where there was a metal door with a Staff Only printed on it. Ignoring the message, he pushed it open, pulling me inside.  
“Where are we going?” I whispered.  
“The club’s entrances are all but obvious. It’s an underground club, literally.” As he said that, the corridor morphed into stairs that led downwards, eerie red light glowing from below.  
We reached the end of the stairs, and I could see a guard at the door. Malfoy’s arm snaked around my waist, pulling me close. He leaned down, lips near the shell of my ear.  
“If you need to communicate, make sure you have your face covered. They have lip readers.”  
I shivered and nodded just enough for him to feel it. We reached the guard and Malfoy offered a few choice words before he let us through. The air was warm inside, and we checked our coats at the door. I felt exposed without mine, afraid my low-cut dress might slip too far sideways. Malfoy’s arm slipped back around my waist. I had to look confident, or they might suspect something. So, I straightened my back, allowing the natural curvature of my spine to exaggerate slightly, curving in all the appropriate positions. On a whim I reached, slipping my hand into Malfoy’s back pocket of his trousers. He grunted in approval and walked us over to the bar.  
“Same as usual?” He asked me, spinning me so my back was at the bar and I was wedged in between it and him.  
I nodded, trying to act natural. He leaned into me, signaling the bartender behind me. I took the opportunity to look around over his shoulder. There were half-naked and naked women dancing on any high surface, sultry music dictating the rhythm of their hips. I realized some of them weren’t entirely human, there was at least one goblin and a woman that looked short enough to be a half-elf. The audience was comprised of a mix of couples and people on their own or in same-sex groups, mostly male. I spotted two of the Death Eaters from the other night, and was pretty sure I spotted Goyle towards the back, but it was too dim and smoky to be certain. Remembering Malfoy’s warning, I slipped my hand around to the small of his back, titling my head into his neck. I felt him brace himself against the bar, arm on each side of my hips.  
“Is everyone here a Death Eater?” I whispered against his warm skin. I felt him shiver.  
He ducked his head to my collarbone. “Not all, but nearly. Watch your step.” He straightened to accept the whiskeys from the bartender, nudging one into my hand and leading me over to a booth against the wall. Nearest us, there was a curvy brunette dancing, her barely-there slip dress sliding over her tan skin.  
He slid in, pulling me in, hands on my waist guiding me right onto his lap. I squirmed until I settled into a comfortable position, Malfoy’s grip on my waist tightening in warning. I took a sip of my drink before leaning into the crook of his neck.  
“What are we doing here?”  
His lips found my ear, shielded from the rest of the club by my hair. “We’re here to get an informant out.”  
I ached to ask him more, but took a sip of whisky instead. The same peaty taste from the other night graced my tongue. For some reason it made my abdomen clench in pleasure. I squirmed, slipping sideways so I could easily lean into Malfoy to talk, but could see the club as well. He made a little grunt of protest, hand palming my back to hold me in place. I met his brown eyes for a moment. Brown eyes that weren’t his, but the look he was giving me assured me I was, indeed still sitting on Malfoy’s lap.


	12. Strippers and Salvation 2.0

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Well that went better than expected.” He breathed, releasing his hold on Talia’s shoulders.  
> “Smooth as butter.” Talia’s voice seemed familiar to me.  
> “So, what’s the plan now?” I asked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy! Leave a kudos and drop a comment <3  
> xx

He leaned in again, face nestling back against my collarbone. “We’re pulling some attention.” His breath smelt like whisky. I felt him shift again and his lips connected with the tender skin on my neck. It took everything I had to not jump at the contact. He pressed into my skin with more force, head angling, breath now hot on the back of my neck. His tongue darted out, warm and wet, tasting my pulse, which was hammering a rapid pace. I swallowed the moan that wanted to escape my throat, trying to concentrate on anything else but the warmth of his hands and breath.  
My eyes alighted on a skinny girl, long blonde hair falling in ringlets to her hips. I could have sworn she looked familiar, but when she turned her face wasn’t placeable. I shook it off, sliding my gaze elsewhere. Malfoy’s hand slid down, cupping my thigh and, mercifully, his lips parted from my neck.  
I took the opportunity to slip down so my face was level with his neck now. “How do we do that?” I mumbled against his skin. I stared at it a moment before pressing my lips to the end of one of his tattoos. He hummed low in his throat and shifted me, so I sat further away, forcing me to lean into him more. I braced myself on his chest, and I could feel his own heartbeat matching mine. He ducked his head to answer.  
“We look like we belong. When things start to die down, we’ll approach our agent and solicit her for a night of fun.” His voice was deep and raspy.  
I subconsciously reacted to his altered state, baring teeth and marking him lightly on his collarbone. His grasp on my leg became painful and he made a low whining noise in the back of his throat. _So, Draco Malfoy liked to be bitten?_ I filed that information away in my brain and retracted my teeth, replacing them with only my lips. I heard him curse above me, and he leaned forward, reclaiming his drink from the table, and taking a shaky breath and a long sip.  
I palmed my own drink, letting the emboldening liquid coat my tongue. I took a deep breath to calm myself and surveyed the room again. Goyle was now accompanied by one of the dancers, who was straddling him in a particularly raunchy lap dance. Luckily tonight he was too far away to sense Malfoy’s cologne. The bars clients had thinned slightly, most people having found a seat. Galleons were thrown one way, pieces of clothing the other. Some girls had found welcoming laps, some remained to dance.  
I leaned back into Malfoy, back now flush with his chest. His hand on my low back kept me far away enough that I had to arch to reach his neck.  
“When does it die down?”  
He shifted me forward again, breath hot on the nape of my neck. “There’s going to be a performance. After that, give or take a half hour before it’s socially acceptable for people to start leaving.” He sounded stressed.  
I nodded, leaning forward to place my now empty glass on the table. Suddenly, I was sitting on the less warm, less squishy surface. Malfoy was standing, adjusting his attire.  
“I’ll get us another drink.” He declared, walking off towards the bar.  
I regained my composure, draping myself half over the pillows in an attempt to emulate other women at the club. A door opened to the left, and I watched a goblin in a glitzy gold suit exit, what looked like a microphone in hand. Sure enough, just as Malfoy returned with two more whiskeys, a hush fell over the crowd. He slipped in next to me, encouraging me to drape over him instead of the pillows. His hand came to rest at the nape of my neck, fingers tracing a small circle under my right ear.  
“Wizards and witches! On this auspicious night I have a treat for you!” His voice rang out clearly, prompting strippers here and there to get shifted so their partners could see the spectacle. “A spectacle for the eyes, varied delights for every whim and want.” He chuckled, triggering a smattering of replying laughs from the crowd. “For you pleasure tonight: the Vorcek twins!”  
The goblin opened his arms towards the door he had come from, stepping down from the stage. Two svelte figures exited out the door, flashes of white hair and cream-pale skin. They moved at a sensuous rhythm to the middle of the floor, pausing there, looking like two tall avenging angels. One male, one female, clearly albino. I caught a glimpse of blood-red eyes from where I sat and shivered. The music kicked in then, alien and exotic, and the pair began to move, seeming to possess almost inhuman mobility. Malfoy’s fingers slipped down the slope of my shoulder, settling on my ribs. He placed his drink on the table, weaving his other hand into my hair. It gave me goosebumps, especially when I realized just how close my face was to his crotch. _All I’d have to do would be turn my head – nope! Nope, nope not going to think about that._  
The dance was getting more and more frenzied, music reaching a crescendo. I could feel various magical auras in the air now, wizards and witches projecting in their moment of distraction. It pulsed like a living thing, pushing against my skin, my eardrums registering it as a low hum. Something familiar and warm brushed against me and I realized it was Malfoy’s magical aura. Something was going on here, something more than just distracted projection. The hum became almost unbearable, I felt like I was suffocating, Malfoy’s aura wrapping around me like a protective shield and suddenly I could smell the whisky on the table from where I sat, feel the heartbeats of a half dozen people closest to me, my own aura pulled forward by whatever magic the twin dancers were weaving. I felt my aura wrap around Malfoy’s, tangling in the corners of my consciousness, and his grip on my ribs tightened in response. He felt it too.  
When I thought I couldn’t take it anymore, the dancers suddenly stood stock still, music dying and the collective of magical auras shattering and raining down, accompanied by a collective sigh of the audience. Then it erupted in applause, and the dancers bowed, stepping down to mingle, music going back to the same sultry tones it had had before.  
I shook my head, trying to dispel the tendrils of aura still clinging to my hair, my skin, my lips. I caught Malfoy’s eye as I straightened. He looked relaxed, but his eyes burned into mine with an intensity that scared me. I grabbed my drink, slamming back the alcohol, hoping it would ground me. I felt Malfoy shift his butt towards the end of the seat and pull me back to drape on his now angled torso. His lips alighted on the crown of my head.  
“Not long now.” He mumbled into my hair.  
I wanted to ask him who we were trying to save, but I felt him tense under me.  
“Evening.”  
I tensed too.  
“Evening. Can I help you?” Malfoy responded, voice cool and calm, an odd parallel to his galloping heartbeat.  
“I hope so.” The wizard in question stepped into my field of view. He was unknown to me, tall and broad shouldered. “Your lady, would she maybe be available for trade?” I glanced at him under a curtain of hair. He was eyeing my legs. I squeezed them shut tighter. No way he would see my panties, the creep.  
“I’m afraid not.” His arm tightened like a seatbelt across my chest, shielding my cleavage from the man’s prying eyes. “I’m rather…possessive of her.”  
 _It’s just for show. It’s just a part he’s playing_. I reminded my libido.  
“What a pity. Perhaps someday I might convince you.” The wizard lamented. “Enjoy your evening, and please do let me know if you’ll change your mind. I’d pay handsomely.”  
We both watched the slimy man walk away, beelining now for the female albino dancer.  
I felt Malfoy bow his head to mine again. “Screw waiting. I’m going to signal her over. We’ll pretend we want her services and leave together. It would help if you could show interest in her too.”  
I nodded, stomach flip flopping with my nerves. I felt Malfoy raise his hand, gesturing. The thin girl from earlier, with the long ringlet hair, separated from the crowd, making her way over to our booth.  
“Hi beautiful, what’s your name?” I heard Malfoy inquire from behind me.  
The girl smiled. “Talia.”  
“We were wondering, Talia, if you’d like to join us this evening?” Malfoy’s voice sounded too loud now that he was trying to be heard.  
“We’d really love you to.” I chipped in, trying to sound sultry.  
Malfoy’s hand twitched on my hip.  
“My, that would be lovely.” The girl answered, reaching forward to capture my hand.  
Her fingers were cold and clammy, betraying her nervous state.  
“About time we got out of here, don’t you agree love?” He directed his question to me.  
Conscious of a few people watching our exchange from neighboring booths, I grinned coyly, rising and dragging Malfoy along with me, slipping my arm around Talia’s waist. We walked to the exit, hopefully putting off an air of expectation for experiences to come, but in reality dreading every step that someone would stop us.  
We picked up our coats, Malfoy draping his cape over Talia’s shoulders as she didn’t have one. A quick thanks to the guard at the door, and we were heading up the stairs, into the deli, into the night. I took the deepest breath I had all night. Malfoy’s hand was still present on my back, steering me, so I decided it wasn’t safe yet to talk, allowing us to round the corner and walk another block before glancing up at him. He met my eyes and pulled us both into the next alley.  
“Well that went better than expected.” He breathed, releasing his hold on Talia’s shoulders.  
“Smooth as butter.” Talia’s voice seemed familiar to me.  
“So, what’s the plan now?” I asked.  
“We head towards the park. There’s a portkey there for you, Luna.” Malfoy answered, looking around to get his bearings.  
 _Luna? Why was he calling her…?_ It hit me.  
“Luna Lovegood?” I blurted.  
The girl turned to me. “Why yes, how did you ever guess?”  
“Even though we all don’t look like ourselves, Luna, this is Iona, from school. If you remember her.”  
“Of course I do. We shared notes for Divination a few times.” Her voice was now back to its ethereal grace.  
“It’s…I thought you hadn’t made it. It’s good to see you, whatever you look like right now.” I stumbled over my words, a mix of alcohol and shock addling my brain.  
She beamed at me. “You too, Iona. Shall we?”  
We walked a little more freely to our destination now that we had some distance between us and the club, keeping our pace brisk. We reached the park in question soon after.  
“Luna, that’s your portkey. The shoe, yes.” Malfoy indicated. “It’ll take you to the safehouse in Edinburgh. There’s supplies there, and Kyle is waiting for you. We’ll see each other again soon?”  
“Of course Draco, in two weeks like we talked about.” She stepped near the shoe, glancing up one last time. “It was nice seeing you Iona.” And then she was gone, a faint crack sounding as she grabbed the portkey.  
“Let’s go.” Malfoy said, already heading away.  
“Are we going to another portkey?” I asked, trotting to catch up.  
“No. We’re going back to my place. We’ll get a muggle cab.” He answered, frowning down at my heels.  
I hadn’t been in a cab in years, and being in one with Malfoy was surreal. It took us fifteen minutes, and Malfoy asked for us to be dropped a few blocks off, just in case. He paid, and we stepped back out into the frigid air.  
“You ok to walk?” He mumbled.  
“I’m fine.”  
His keys jangled as we arrived at the door, and he quickly unlocked it, ushering me inside. I did, folding myself against the wall as he entered behind me, swiftly shutting the door. I let out a sigh of relief and braced myself against the wall to take off the damned heels. They were so tall my feet had already started to ache. I could feel Malfoy near me, shedding his cape. His fingers came to my shoulders, pulling my coat off for me as I struggled with the other heel. It finally came loose, and I kicked it off.  
“Finally.” I breathed, turning.  
I came face-to-face with Malfoy’s chest. I was suddenly very cognizant of the fact that we were alone, and that he hadn’t moved.  
“Is everything al-”  
Malfoy suddenly slammed into me, hands grabbing my thighs, pushing me against the closed door, notching himself between them, lips locked with my own. He kissed me with bruising force but delicate precision, hot breath mingling with mine, tongue tasting of whisky as it entered my mouth. Unwillingly I moaned into the embrace and I heard him reciprocate the noise low in his throat. His assault slowed, losing its frenzy but none of its intensity, a slow, languid pace that made the fire in my belly double. He shifted and now I could feel Malfoy’s arousal pressing firmly against the joint of my hip. I could’ve expired right then, but he hissed at the new contact and stepped back, releasing me, sudden whoosh of cold air between us making me shudder.  
“I’m so fucking sorry Iona.” He apologized. And then he was gone, heading up the stairs before I could register the movement.  
I stayed, stunned, back against his front door. _Had that even happened?_  
Finally, I regained my composure and pushed off the door, following him upstairs. I found him in the bedroom, Vanishing Cabinet doors already open. He was busy mussing around in his drawers, avoiding my eyes.  
“Are we heading back now?” I asked in the quietest voice I could.  
“Yes. Grab your coat and shoes if you don’t want to leave them here.” He answered matter-of-factly, as if he hadn’t just dry humped me into his front door.  
“ _Accio_.” I muttered, surprised to see my garments flying swiftly and steadily to me, as though I’d never not been able to do spells.  
He stepped in the cabinet and I followed, hyper-aware in the small space. But then we were there, and he was stepping out of the cabinet and out of his room. I stumbled down after him.  
“Tea?” He threw over his shoulder.  
“Sure, I’m just…going to change.” I answered.  
I dumped my clothes that still smelt of smoke and whisky (and his cologne), pulling on something cozy. Taking a steeling breath, I padded downstairs to the kitchen to find him already pouring steaming water into mugs. He stood next to each other, leaning against the counter, sipping our tea in silence. He finished first, washing his mug.  
I had so many questions to ask but was afraid to even trying to ask any right now.  
“We should get some rest.” He stated, pushing away from the counter. I nodded. “Night Iona. Oh and - _Reparifarge_.”  
I felt my face shift back to normal. And then he was gone, leaving me in the kitchen, confused.


	13. The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I swear Malfoy’s ears went pink at the tips. Maybe it was just the cold, but I doubted it.  
> “I…just need some time to think.” He answered, sounding pleading.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay on this one folks! I've been and will be quite busy at work for this next week at least, but I'll try to keep writing here and there when I can. Sorry for any delays!  
> x

I woke late the next day. I supposed it didn’t much matter, it was Sunday. Last night’s activities came back to me in a rush of sounds, tastes, and smells. And feelings. So many feelings. I blushed, alone in my room, but swearing I could still feel Malfoy touching me, kissing me.  
I groaned, rolling out of bed. He’d pulled away, apologized. He’d regretted it. I wondered for a brief moment if I’d be able to meet his eyes. I groaned again, for all the world feeling like a teenager stuck in high school drama. I hadn’t missed the feeling.  
I showered and dressed, taking longer than usual due to my reluctance to face the world, finally stepping into the kitchen a half hour later. Pippa and Kif were sitting at the table, eating breakfast. Malfoy and Mary were missing. I half relaxed, grabbing some cereal and sitting next to Pippa.  
“Morning. Go alright last night?” The girl next to me asked.  
I tensed but forced my voice to sound normal. “Yes, we got Luna out.”  
“That’s great. I love Luna.” Pippa answered, seemingly unaware of my discomfort.  
“She’ll likely be coming round within a fortnight.” Kif joined in.  
“Sounded like it.” I answered, staring into my cereal. “So, she’s part of the new Order then?”  
“Part of it? She’s one of the founders.” Kif answered enthusiastically. “Her, Malfoy, and a squib called Arabella Figg – apparently she knew Potter from when he was younger, and Dumbledore asked her to watch over him. She obviously can’t do magic, but she’s smart and tough as old boots. Apparently, she’d taken quite a liking to Harry, and when he…died, she wanted to do something.”   
“That’s amazing, I hope I get to meet her one day.”  
“I’m sure you will.” Kif finished his food, standing to wash his bowl. “Got any plans today, Iona?”  
“Well, I should check on the seedlings in the greenhouse. Maybe go for a walk in the woods. You guys?”  
“Well I’ll weasel in on the walk if you’ll let me.” Kif chuckled.  
“Can I join?” Pippa piped up.  
“Of course, guys.” I answered. “Where are Malfoy and Mary?”  
“Don’t actually know. Haven’t seen Mary for like three days. Malfoy hasn’t come down, maybe he’s sleeping off a hangover, did you guys drink too much?” Pippa laughed.  
I nearly choked on my last spoon of oats. “No, no, we just had two glasses of whisky.” I answered, hopefully nonchalantly.   
“I’ll go knock on his door in a bit.” Pippa proclaimed. “Maybe he wants to join us.”  
I grabbed Pippa’s bowl along with my own, washing them quickly and setting them to dry.   
“Anyone want to come to the greenhouse too, or should I go now and get that done?”  
“Nooo, please, I’d love to come!” Pippa pleaded. “I’ll run up to Draco’s room now and quickly ask him if he’s up for the walk.” She was out the door before I could say anything.  
“You alright there Iona? You seem a bit off.” Kif’s gentle voice reminded me he was still there, standing by the coffee machine.  
“I’m fine Kif, really.” I answered, stomach lurching.  
“Well, if you want to talk about it, we’re here. I hope nothing bad happened last night?” His eyes were just as gentle as his tone.  
I wanted so bad to confide in someone. To talk about what had happened and not happened last night. But if I told Kif and he told Malfoy…I’d die. I warred in my mind about what to do.  
“If I told you something, could it stay between us?” I decided Kif was like a big brother type, and I hoped my trust in him wouldn’t be misplaced.  
“Of course.” He affirmed, expression serious.  
“I’m not really sure what happened to be honest. We got back from dropping Luna off and…well Malfoy kissed me.”  
Kif’s lip twitched into a tiny smile.   
“But then he apologized, stopped, and acted really weird.” I sighed. “Now I don’t know where we stand. And I feel like I’m in some teenage drama.”  
“Well then.” Kif answered, looking like he was trying to hold back laughter.  
“Don’t you dare laugh at me.” I half-joked.  
“I think you’ve got nothing to worry about. Malfoy is a good lad, but he wasn’t always. He says he accepts his past and has moved on but…I think he still struggles a lot with his own self-worth. Any type of relationship he might pursue would obviously call into question that issue.”  
“I guess.” I conceded. I hadn’t thought about that.  
I heard Pippa returning down the hall and gave Kif a look. He understood it meant the conversation was over, and he smiled, pushing off the counter. Pippa rounded the corner, Malfoy in tow behind her. I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat.  
“Morning.” The blond man mumbled, grabbing an apple. “Heard we were going to the greenhouse?”  
I stood there for a second, awkwardly, head whirring. Malfoy met my gaze, perfect eyebrow arching almost imperceptibly.   
“Yeah, right, yeah seedlings.” I blubbered.  
“Right.” Malfoy responded, still holding my gaze. He rose the apple to his lips, sinking his teeth into the fruity flesh and chewing. His pink tongue darted out to catch juices from his lips.  
I realised I was staring. I cursed inwardly and stepped out the kitchen, hoping the others hadn’t noticed my weirdness.   
The cold air outside helped me to dispel the final tendrils of last night, even though I felt like I could still feel the ghost of Malfoy’s touch on my skin. We made our way down to the greenhouse, careful not to slip on the icy ground.   
The greenhouse was pleasantly warm, the flame in a jar keeping the temperature above freezing. Tiny, green sprouts were just beginning to peek through the dark soil in some of the pots.  
“Wow some of those came up really fast.” Pippa seemed mesmerized by the small lifeforms, poking one gently.  
“It’s a good sign!” I agreed. “Time for a little water I think.”  
Each of us conjured a small jet of water, together making short work of all the pots. We passed by the orchard to check on the trees, spotting a gnome or two hiding in the bushes. I allowed Pippa to dictate our walking path at her request, falling in step behind Malfoy as we entered the forest.  
Despite the cold, the forest was still very alive, birds singing, snow drops peeking through the frozen earth, scarlet berries a shocking colour contrast to the bleak greyish palette. In the distance I heard the grunts of a buck. We walked in silence for a bit, all appreciating the beautiful stillness of nature. Eventually, Kif and Pippa started talking, arguing about what breakfast cereal was their favourite. I watched Malfoy catch sight of me out of the corner of his eyes and slow a bit to fall in step next to me.  
“You alright?” He asked, voice quiet enough that Kif and Pippa wouldn’t hear.   
“I’m fine. A little confused, but fine.” I answered, heart hammering.  
I heard him sigh next to me. “I’m sorry.”  
“You already apologized. Right after you snogged me in your front hall.” I was almost shocked at my own brazenness. “I’m just unsure where that leaves us.”  
I swear Malfoy’s ears went pink at the tips. Maybe it was just the cold, but I doubted it.  
“I…just need some time to think.” He answered, sounding pleading.   
“Right.” I answered stiffly. I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach.   
We fell silent again, Kif and Pippa’s animated conversation a sharp contrast to our own mood. I decided to not be awkward about it though.  
“You still haven’t told me how the talk with Mary went.” I offered the olive branch.  
He accepted it gratefully. “Ah, that’s true. Well…it was interesting to say the least. A lot of screaming. I made it extra clear I didn’t want her that way anymore, that I hadn’t for a bit. She stilled tried to deny it, and threw a fit when I didn’t play ball.” He sighed heavily. “She said she was going away for a few days, didn’t say where though.”  
“Yikes.” I answered, feeling a bit sorry for him.  
“You can say that twice.” He chuckled.  
“The others told me you, Luna, and Arabella Fig were the ones to restart the order.” I stepped over a half-frozen mushroom, probably the last one of the season.  
“Oh, yes it was. Arabella got into contact with Luna somehow. And Luna…saved me from myself.” He confessed, voice betraying emotion.  
“How did Luna…?” I left the question unfinished, sure he would know what I was asking.  
“She’s a pretty good Legilimens. She kind of accidentally caught my thoughts in a small wizard bar, not long after the war. She was transfigured to look like someone else, and I was…still in the Death Eater circle, desperately trying to think of a way to get out.” A redwing chortled a song to our left. “I was, admittedly not in a good state of mind. She just placed her hand on my arm and told me everything would be ok. She asked me to follow her outside and I just did. She revealed herself to me in the alley next to the bar. The only thing between her and death were my discretion and a brick wall. But she made the choice, knowing how lost I felt.”  
“She’s brave.”  
“Terribly, yes.”  
“I’m sure she’s glad she took the risk.”  
“I’d hope so. Not long after that she took me to meet Arabella, and one night and a few sherries later and we were plotting how to restart the Order.” He grinned at the memory.   
I was momentarily slammed by the expression, seeing him grin was beautiful and definitely something he didn’t do enough of. I was pulled out of my reverie by Pippa’s hushed warnings.  
“There’s a deer, be quiet.” She hissed our way, and we both slowed our pace in response.  
There, in a clearing, was indeed the beautiful, delicate figure of a red deer. We all huddled behind a cluster of trees, watching the majestic beast graze, large branches of antlers nearly sweeping the ground, russet coat gleaming in the weak sunlight. It stayed for a while, before its head swung up, seemingly catching a scent, and it bounded off.  
“Beautiful.” I breathed.  
Pippa made a concordant sigh, and we all fell back onto the path. I could see the house approaching in the distance, between the sparser sections of the trees. I fell back a bit again to Malfoy’s level. Pippa and Kif were back to discussing other breakfast foods.  
“I just want you to know. I think you’ve been incredibly brave.” I whispered to him, arm brushing his.  
He turned his head, catching my gaze. “Thanks.” His pinky finger caught mine, holding it in a tiny embrace.


	14. Whilst They Went a-Shopping...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I…guess that’s a good idea.” I answered feebly, brain addled by his nearness, so close I could almost hear his heartbeat hammering on his ribcage.  
> “It was. For a time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's thought about it?  
> Thanks so everyone following along and commenting, it means the world!  
> x

The next day, Pippa and Kif had gone to town to seek out some ‘special supplies’ as they put it. I had tried to weasel the information out of them but them had just smiled and shook their heads.  
This left just Malfoy and I. We were currently quietly reading in the library, a few more texts about transfiguration on my end, a data manifesto of Death Eater movements on Draco’s end. The only noise was the occasional sound of paper being turned over, and one of us sipping tea. We’d been at it for a good two hours now, and my back was starting to cramp in funny places due to my silly reading position.  
I reached the end of the page. I realized I had read it all but not retained one word. I huffed a small sigh, looking towards Malfoy’s direction. He didn’t seem to notice, frown pulling his eyebrows together above the bridge of his nose, eyes fixed on his paperwork. I glanced around at the library. The fireplace had a low fire burning, a cozy amount of heat radiating off it. Outside the weather was decidedly stormy, moderate lashings of rain pattering rhythmically against the glass of the tall windows. An occasional, unfortunate bird would fly by at an alarming rate, no doubt fueled by the wind and hoping to get to shelter as soon as possible.  
I stretched in my chair, hoping to alleviate the ache in my back. Instead, my back muscle loosened and then clenched, cramping hard. I squeaked, hand flying to my back in protest, nearly falling out the chair.  
“What’s wrong?” Malfoy asked, concerned.  
“Cramp. In my back. Ah tits it hurts!” I spat out between gritted teeth.  
“Let me help.”  
I heard him stand and approach, and I swung my legs to the ground, hoping a new position would alleviate it. It didn’t.  
“Lie down on you stomach, I’ll massage it out.” He suggested.  
I was on the ground before he could ask again, fists clenched against the severe aching of my lumbar region. I felt him kneel next to me and lift my shirt a little, then hesitate.  
“Where is it?”  
“Right there, lumbar.”  
His fingers made contact with my skin, and I involuntarily shivered.  
“Cold hands.” He said apologetically.  
I didn’t have the heart to tell him it wasn’t that.  
His fingers were actually pleasantly warm and the texture of his fingerprints on my sensitive skin felt incredible, despite my discomfort. Then, he applied pressure, kneading, spreading, working the muscles in the area with no uncertain force. I welcomed this new type of ache and slowly the clenching pain of the cramp subsided, until it finally dissipated entirely. I sighed in relief.  
“Thanks.” I breathed.  
His fingers stayed still, gentler now, but repeating the same motions. I heard him mumble something about ‘need to make sure I got it all’. I wasn’t about to complain. I hadn’t had a massage in years, and it was soothing more than my cramp. His fingers made a final drag down my back, and I felt him gently fold my shirt back down. I felt his sigh on the back of my neck. Reluctantly, I pushed up until I was sitting. He still knelt in the same place.  
“Thanks. If this Order business doesn’t pan out, just be a masseuse.” I joked.  
He didn’t answer. I glanced his way. His eyes were rather intense, all stormy grey like the clouds outside. His gaze flickered to my lips, then back up to my eyes. I felt warmth pool in my lower stomach.  
He leaned in, touching foreheads with me, rapid breathing fanning near my own lips, the cinnamon tea he had drank an evident scent this close.  
“I told myself I’d wait, to try and figure this out without the confusion of physical experiences.” His eyes darkened further. “But gods its hard Iona. It’s so bloody hard.” His tongue darted out to wet his lips.  
My subconscious mind squashed the urge to ask what exactly was really hard. I tried to remember how to breathe. “I…guess that’s a good idea.” I answered feebly, brain addled by his nearness, so close I could almost hear his heartbeat hammering on his ribcage.  
“It was. For a time.” He answered, leaning forward and sliding his lips into place over mine.  
I forgot how to breathe with the way he kissed me, first slow and careful, measured, slowly building intensity in a way that had me gripping the hem of my own shirt, until we were both panting. His hands moved first, one sliding in under my hair to cup the nape of my neck, the other coming to rest on my leg. I felt electrified, allowing my own hands to roam to his side, alighting on his chest, his neck (he groaned quietly when for a second my hand clasped around the tender flesh there), his shoulders. His hands skated over my chest for the briefest of moments, making my breath hitch, before landing on my legs, kneading the sensitive flesh there in small circular motions.  
I whimpered, needing something, anything, but I wasn’t sure what.  
“What do you want pet? Tell me.”  
I shuddered in response to the confidence in his question, as though he were already fully cognizant of what I needed. And maybe he was, he had studied legilemency after all.  
“Fuck, I don’t even know.” I replied shakily, deciding to be honest.  
“Shall I give you a multiple-choice answer?” He smirked, eyes mirthful.  
His head dipped, lips connecting to my throat in hot, languid kisses, where I’m sure he was able to feel the vibrations of my responding moan. I felt him smile against my skin, teeth nipping quickly, then gone. I protested their absence, but quieted again as he pushed me gently back so I leant now with my back against the leg of my chair. He lifted the hem of my shirt again, this time exposing my creamy white skin of my abdomen. I felt his breath there, then his lips, tracing patterns around my sides and back to the middle, while I just clung to his head like a woman lost. All I could feel was him and his wicked mouth.  
“We’re back!”  
Pippa’s voice made us both jump apart.  
“Shit!” I hissed, hastily yanking down my shirt and trying to compose myself.  
Malfoy’s dark eyes darted to the direction of the voice as though someone had tried to take his prey away. They found mine again. “Cover for me, I’m going to shower.”  
“Who’s going to cover for me?” I hissed at him, standing too.  
“Who do you think looks less obvious?” He whispered, looking down.  
I followed his eyes, my own going a little wide when I saw the tenting in his trousers, very large, and very obvious.  
“I see you point.” I swallowed heavily.  
“We’ll finish this later.” He all but growled into my ear before dissaparating, no doubt straight into the shower.  
I tried to calm my jellied legs, smoothing my hair back into semi-submission, quickly throwing it up into a ponytail and sitting back in my seat, book back in my lap, pencil hanging out the corner of my mouth. My heart was still racing, my underwear was soaked, but on the surface, I hoped I looked normal.  
“Iona, you all right, you look a bit flushed.” Pippa remarked as they entered the library.  
I saw Kif look me up and down and his mouth slip into a sly, knowing smirk. I shot him a look in warning.  
“Just was suddenly too warm here by the fire.” I fibbed, snapping the book shut.  
“Well I’m freezing, its terrible out there.” She complained, claiming a chair.  
“Yeah, I can imagine. Where were you?”  
“Bristol actually. Less rainy than here, but still pretty miserable.”  
“I see, and what did you go to get again?” I tried my luck.  
“It’s a secret Iona, we told you.” Kif interjected.  
I harumphed. They smiled.  
“You’ll see soon enough.” Pippa soothed, picking at the arm of the chair with her delicate fingers.  
“Well, don’t be mysterious or anything.” I grumbled.  
“Coffee?” Kif offered, halfway out the door again.  
I nodded my agreement, happy to be talking about anything but Malfoy.  
“I’m going to change real quick, my skirt is soaked, but save me some coffee!” Pippa called, heading up the staircase.  
I followed Kif into the kitchen, heart still struggling to calm. He remained quiet, tending to the coffee preparation, large hands maneuvering the pot, placing the grounds, and popping it into the machine. It started to gurgle and Kif turned to me, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning into the counter. A smile tugged his lips again.  
“So…” He started.  
“So, what?” I retorted.  
“You and Malfoy enjoy your alone time?” He snickered.  
“Shut up Kif! Nothing happened.” I tried to sound convincing. It must have fallen short.  
“Mhm.” He agreed good-naturedly, but I knew he hadn’t bought it.  
“Is there some for me?” Malfoy’s voice behind me made my pulse jump again.  
“But of course.” Kif responded, smile fading to a tiny smirk.  
Malfoy gave him a funny look and sat at the table, his hair still wet and smelling of peppermint. It made me want to bury my face in his neck. Not now. His eyes met mine, still searing and full of promise. I looked away quickly as Pippa walked in.  
“Oh Malfoy, hi.” She greeted, joining him at the table, sitting across from him.  
“Alright?” He asked.  
“Yes, we got what we needed! Was really rainy though.” She lamented.  
I watched them converse, smiling and gesturing, Pippa’s eyes lighting up.  
I snapped out of it when Kif pushed a warm mug of coffee into my hands. I met his gaze and he smiled again with his enigmatic smile, but didn’t say a thing. I followed him to the table, sliding in next to Malfoy. Our thighs met under the table, and the warmth was both comforting and distracting. I half-heartedly listened to the others chat about mundane things, head still befuddled with memories of moments ago.  
We ended up deciding to have lunch right away, and then get stuck into some more research. Kif made everyone cheese toasties in the pan, complete with tomato and onion too.  
“Anyone know where Mary has gotten off to?” Kif asked as he handed out our meals.  
I felt Malfoy stiffen next to me. “We had an argument. She said she’d be out for a few days. Didn’t say where.” He confessed.  
“She’s been so very touchy recently.” Kif answered, looking perplexed.  
Malfoy just nodded, mouth full of bread and cheese.  
“So, when Luna comes to visit, will we be talking about our potential plan with her?” I asked, hoping to change the subject.  
“Yeah, we will. Luna is…very good at seeing things in a different light, if there’s any flaws in our logic I’m sure she’ll let us know.” Kif said, taking an extra-large bite of his toast.  
“An invaluable talent.” I agreed. “Until then, do we keep working on our spell training?”  
“I think that would be best. We’ve still got a ways to go until we’re ready to do advanced transfiguration the likes of what we hope to pull off.” Malfoy answered.  
“I’m going to be practicing some advanced healing spells too now that…I’m getting accustomed to my new wand.” I said. It still felt odd to lie to Kif and Pippa. I felt I could trust them, but I decided to keep quiet. My magic had mostly come back, but I still felt an underlying buzz of anxiety threatening to lash out and ruin my day.  
Once we finished eating and cleaning up, I told them I’d be right back down, I just needed to grab something from my room. _Guess I shouldn’t tell them it’s a new pair of underwear_.  
I was just about to duck into my room when I felt a hand clasp around my wrist and pull me back. I bumped into Malfoy’s chest with a little oof. I looked up at his intense eyes.  
“You alright?” He asked, frown creasing his forehead, tone so gentle it made me shiver.  
“Peachy.” I responded. “You?”  
His eyes raked up and down me. “Peachy sounds about right.” He growled. “Can I ask what you’ve come to get? You had this odd look on your face.”  
I briefly considered lying, then discarded the idea. “I actually came to change my underwear, if you must know.”  
It was fun to watch emotions flicker over his face. “Because…because of me?” He sounded uncertain now.  
“Who else?” I mocked, pushing away from his chest, and sauntering into my room. I heard him follow me. I fished out some black panties and turned to find him standing in my doorway. “Can I help you, sir?” I said in a mock clerk voice.  
“Go on then.” There was some doubt underlying in his request, but it was a demand on the surface. It made me quiver on the inside.  
“What, you want to watch?” I asked teasingly, trying to play along and act like I was used to this kind of situation, when in reality all my head contained was _Draco fucking Malfoy wants to watch me change my panties. Malfoy wants my panties. Help. He’ll see me…down there, what if he doesn’t like what he sees? What if-_ I cut my own inner monologue off, stepping next to the bed. The truth was by his tone I could tell he wasn’t really making a demand, if I didn’t feel comfortable, I was aware I could say no. But I didn’t really want to say no. I slowly undid the button on my jeans, pulling the zipper down even slower, fingers shaking slightly in a cocktail of arousal, fear, and uncertainty. I began to peel off the denim, revealing my pale legs and lavender panties. Once the pants were on the bed, I hesitantly slipped my fingers beneath the elastic on either side of my hips, and slowly began to tug downwards. I couldn’t look at him anymore as they reached my knees, my feet, then I stepped out of them, placing them on the bed too. I hazarded a glance his was and wished I hadn’t. The look he was giving me was renewing the dewy moisture between my legs, and I rubbed them together in an attempt to alleviate the awkwardness I was feeling. I met his eyes, and all ideas of shame fled my mind, so strong was the desire in his gaze. We stared at each other for what felt like hours but must have been seconds, before I snapped my eyes downwards, grabbing the new pair and quickly stepping into them and shimmying them up. Then I was fully clothed again, but still felt more naked than ever.  
I watched him swallow thickly as I approached the door. I stopped in front of him. He leant down, capturing my lips in a kiss, quick, searing, but controlled.  
“You’re so beautiful.” He whispered against my lips.  
I could’ve melted right there and then.  
“Look at what you’ve done to me again.” He whispered, erection evident even in his tight jeans.  
“Well actually, that’s quite your own fault.” I whispered back.  
He made a choking noise and then chuckled heartily. “Not untrue.” His hands snaked around my waist, settling on my backside and pulling me against him. “Still, it’s-all-because-of-you-you-gorgeous-witch.” He stated, punctuating each word with a soft grind against my abdomen, imprinting the feeling of his hardness there.  
Feeling confident from his praise I smiled up at him sweetly. “Guess you’ll just have to go stick your dick in the freezer, dear.”  
His face fell and then he laughed again, this time more than a chuckle, more like a guffaw. It was a beautiful sight.  
“Come on Casanova, we’ve got spells to practice.”  
I was pretty sure I heard him mutter something about ‘having a few he’d like to practice on me’ as we made our way downstairs. I rejoined Kif and Pippa and Malfoy said he’d be right back, heading to the kitchen. I wondered if he really was going to take my advice, and the thought had me stifling back laughter. Luckily, Kif and Pippa were already engrossed in their wand waving, so they didn’t notice.  
I pulled my wand out, trying to clear my mind for spellwork. It wasn’t an easy feat.


	15. The Fairy and the Godmother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So, I heard you lot had come up with an idea.” Luna interrupted the sudden silence.  
> “Oh yes, well it was mostly Iona and Malfoy, but we’ve been working towards it for a few weeks now.” Pippa answered, eyes gleaming.  
> “That’s lovely.” Luna answered. “You must tell me all about it later.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Luna and Arabella have arrived, some secrets are revealed...  
> x

I wiped my hand over my brow, my back complaining. But the vegetables that were ready had all been transplanted, and I felt accomplished.  
Pippa finished up her section a moment later, sighing and stretching beside me.  
“Isn’t Luna scheduled to be here today?” She inquired, undoing her apron and folding it with the flick of her wand.  
“Oh, you’re right, must be.” I responded, folding my own apron.  
We stepped out into the light drizzle of rain, heading back up to the house as fast as we could without slipping. We shed our coats once inside, slipping on some house shoes and heading to the kitchen for hot mugs of coffee. Malfoy and Kif were there, as well as Mary. She’d returned last night, not saying a word about where she had been. No one had dared ask either.  
Malfoy caught my eye across the table and smirked. I flushed. These past few days had been so busy we’d hardly had alone time, but he’d managed to find me in the corridors for a goodnight kiss once or twice. Neither of us had been confident enough to invite the other into their bedroom.  
“Veggies doing well?” Kif asked, pouring us some coffee.  
“Incredibly yes, seeing as we started them quite late in the year.” I answered.  
“Iona says next week some of the more resistant stuff can be planted outside, with some heat protection.” Pippa said, sipping her mug contentedly.  
A knock on the front door made me start.  
“I’ll get it.” Mary offered, rising and making her way out the kitchen.  
We all exchanged glances. She seemed even more off than when she had left. We heard voices from the entrance, and then approaching footsteps. Around the corner stepped Luna first, her flowy hair half pulled back in some intricate braids, a small travel bag clutched in her delicate hands. Following her was a small, older woman who looked scared of her own shadow, and bringing up the rear was Mary.  
We all slid further down the benches to accommodate for the newcomers. Luna took a seat next to Kif, who looked mighty pleased about this, and the lady I didn’t recognize sat next to me. Mary slipped back into her seat next to Malfoy.  
“It’s damn good to see you both!” Kif boomed, clearly excited.  
“Likewise, I missed this place so much.” Luna answered, smiling.  
“Too bad we couldn’t have a safehouse in southern Portugal.” The lady beside me lamented in a mousy voice. She glanced up at me. “Oh! I don’t think we’ve met.” She extended a bony hand.  
I took it, finding a firm handshake. “Sorry, I’m Iona Croft. I’m new.”  
“I’m Arabella Fig. Hogwarts too?” She inquired, smiling at Kif as he passed her a mug of coffee.  
“Oh, yes, I was in the same year as Malfoy and Luna.” I answered, accepting the offer of a refill from Kif.  
“So, you knew Harry too then?” He voice was steady, but sad.  
“I talked to him once or twice, but we weren’t good friends. But yes, I knew him.”  
She nodded, pausing our conversation to drink deeply.  
“So, I heard you lot had come up with an idea.” Luna interrupted the sudden silence.  
“Oh yes, well it was mostly Iona and Malfoy, but we’ve been working towards it for a few weeks now.” Pippa answered, eyes gleaming.  
“That’s lovely.” Luna answered. “You must tell me all about it later.”  
I offered to cook something for lunch and Malfoy offered to help me.  
“Arabella seems nice.” I whispered to him as we peeled potatoes.  
“She’s like everyone’s mother.” He chuckled in a low voice.  
We needn’t have worried about being overhead though, Kif was laughing too loud for that. Malfoy and I cooked in quiet companionship, occasionally interjecting something into the others’ conversation. After we had all eaten our fill of the veggie stew, Luna and Arabella wanted to see the greenhouse, and Pippa offered to take them. Mary trailed after them, even though she’d never shown an interest before.  
Kif, Malfoy and I made our way to the library to light a fire and warm the room. I brewed more coffee, and then rejoined them, with enough coffee and cups for everyone should they want it when they returned. I sunk into the chair between the two men, sighing contentedly, warm mug in my hands a welcome comfort. We sat in comfortable silence until we heard the others return.  
“What a lovely greenhouse.” Luna declared as she swanned into the library, claiming a pillow on the floor nearest the fireplace, crossing her legs and grabbing a mug of coffee.  
“It was so much fun to get it working. We’ve already managed to make some jam and applesauce from the orchard beside it.” I responded, seeing her eyes light up at the mention of jam.  
“Oooh, I must try some of that.” She smiled.  
Arabella and Mary joined us taking the remaining two chairs, followed by Pippa, who happily joined Luna on a pillow near the hearth.  
“Down to business then?” Arabella asked, face serious now.  
Kif nodded, launching into the plan we had thought up, detailing what we’d been practicing, what we’d mastered, and what we still had to work on. Arabella and Luna remained quiet throughout, occasionally nodding. When Kif fell silent, my coffee was cold.  
“Well, that’s an interesting theory.” Arabella admitted.  
“I think it’s brilliant.” Luna’s floaty voice sounded happy. “Have you thought of a plan B?”  
“Only a few loose defensive spells and such.”  
“Well I think with a solid plan B to get you out alive if things don’t go well, that sounds like a pretty solid idea.” Arabella admitted, weedy voice betraying excitement. “Well done.”  
I tried to keep my smile small and controlled as Kif excitedly launched into the story of how we’d figured it out, but I was fighting a losing battle. With his enthusiasm and natural sense of storytelling, I was grinning by the end of it, blushing as he extolled my initial idea, agreeing as he commended Malfoy’s transformation of my idea into our plan. Luna’s clear laugh as he told about the mishaps we’d faced when we first attempted some advanced transfiguration no doubt made everyone’s moods lift. Her laugh was one of those pure ones, not reigned in.  
The conversation moved then to lighter topics business forgotten for the moment. They talked like old friends, and I was content to just sit there and listen, occasionally asking a question or laughing at an escapade. I noticed Mary looking more and more sour as the afternoon went on, and by the time Kif declared he was getting out the whiskey for happy hour, she was practically scowling. She followed him out went he went to fetch the bottle, but didn’t return.  
“Iona, whiskey?” Kif inquired, holding out a glass of gold liquid.  
“Thanks Kif, I’d love some.” I accepted it, catching Malfoy’s eye, who was smiling a knowing smile.  
Pippa managed to beg a tiny amount to try, but she screwed her nose up when she did, and shoved the glass away again.  
“Shall I make pancakes for dinner?” Luna asked after a few glasses of whiskey, her typical smile tugging on her lips, eyes only a tad glazed over.  
“Oh yes please!” Pippa agreed excitedly.  
“Can we make them blueberry?” I inquired, just as excited as Pippa.  
“But of course! I hope we have maple syrup.” She sighed wistfully, and the three of us giggled.  
“I’m hungry.” I added.  
“Why don’t you lot get started on the pancakes then, Arabella, Malfoy and I should have a quick chat anyway.” Kif suggested, smile just visible through his ginger beard.  
We leapt up, making our way back to the kitchen and starting to raid the cupboards for ingredients. Pippa was on mixing duty, and Luna waved her wand at the pot drawer, bringing out a large flat pan and setting it on the stove.  
“So, Iona, how long have you and Malfoy been together?” Luna’s voice floated in from beside me.  
I nearly dropped the bowl I was holding. “What?”  
“Aren’t you together?” She frowned. “Was no one supposed to know? Oh, I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.” She looked as close to harrowed as I think she could manage.  
“You are?” Pippa asked, eyes wide.  
“Well…um…yes, I guess.” I answered, heart pounding. “It’s…recent. I’m not quite sure what we are, we haven’t labelled it as such.”  
For a moment Pippa just stared and I wondered if she wasn’t happy with me for some reason. But then her face broke out into a smile.  
“Thank goodness, he needs to blow off some steam somehow.” She teased.  
“Pippa!” I gaped at her.  
“It’s true, he’s been so sour the last few months, he’s been better since you arrived.” She shrugged.  
I tried to hide my smile at that information.  
“Sorry again Iona, I thought people knew.” Luna apologized.  
“Don’t worry about it, although maybe we could keep it between us?”  
Pippa made a locking and throwing away the key movement near her mouth. Luna looked at her funny and then back to me, and just nodded with a smile.  
“How did you know, anyway?” I asked.  
“Oh, you give each other looks, it’s quite obvious.”  
We returned to pancake making, quiet for a moment.  
“So is he a good kisser?” Pippa snickered.  
“Pippa!” I gaped again. I’d thought she was more subdued, but she was showing a mischievous side I wouldn’t have guessed at before. “If you must know, yes.”  
We fell silent, and then Pippa suppressed a laugh, and we all fell into a heap of laughter, Luna’s and mine no doubt fueled a little by whiskey, mine also spurred by relief at their nonchalant reactions.  
“What’s so funny?” Kif inquired as they rounded the corner.  
“Oh nothing.” Luna said in a sing-song voice, as Pippa and I tried to contain ourselves.  
The pancakes turned out delicious, probably even more so due to my level of hunger and the fact that I had had three glasses of whiskey. From the happy noises everyone around the table were making, it was unanimous. Even Mary looked less annoyed. We stayed after dinner, chatting some more and partaking in one or two more glasses of whiskey before people started to turn in.  
Mary was first, disappearing with a short ‘goodnight’. Pippa followed, yawning and frowning at Kif, who was smoking a cigarette near the window. She gave me a wink before she slipped out the kitchen. Arabella went next, claiming her old bones were tired from the trip.  
The four of us reminisced a bit about Hogwarts, talking about the teachers we’d had, some of our colleagues, and the mishaps we’d gotten into. I finally started to yawn about an hour later, and decided it was time to call it a night. My shoulders ached from this morning, and my head felt kind of heavy.  
“I’m going too.” Malfoy declared, standing.  
Luna smiled a private smile for me as we excited the kitchen, leaving her and Kif to chat. I briefly wondered if they were a thing. Kif certainly seemed to like her.  
“You good?” I heard Malfoy whisper as we climbed the stairs.  
“Yes, you?”  
“Alright.” We reached my flight. “Want to come to my room?” He inquired.  
My head spun for a second.  
“Just to cuddle.” He made clear. “We’ve had too much whiskey; it wouldn’t feel right.”  
“In that case, lead the way.” I mumbled, continuing up the stairs after him.  
His room was warm and inviting as ever, and we both stripped off our top layers quietly, crawling into the soft bed.  
“Can I have a kiss?” I mumbled against his shoulder.  
“How could I say no?” He answered, eyes dark and full of promise that he wouldn’t fulfill tonight.


	16. A Timely Tussle Between Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Ok, seems reasonable.” I chuckled. “In the meantime, can I kiss you again?”  
> A small smile graced his lips. “How could I saw no to that?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut ahead, just so you know! Hope you enjoy >:)  
> x

I stretched, rolling sideways onto my back. There was a warm body to my right, where Malfoy lay. I looked up at his face, serene in sleep. His chest was bare, exposing his tattoos, and a fine line of pale hair starting just under his bellybutton and disappearing into his jogging pants. I reached out, trancing the back of my fingers on it. His stomach contracted slightly, and his eyes slid open.  
“What a way to wake up.” He mumbled, smiling.  
“Didn’t mean to wake you.” I mumbled back.  
I moved to take my hand away, but he caught it, holding my knuckles in place against his skin. My eyes flickered to his. They were roiling with emotion, barely concealed lust sparking in their grey depths.   
His fingers released mine, coming up to rest on my collarbone, heavy and warm. His calloused hand slipped up, framing my neck, index finger and thumb resting just under my jaw. His touch was gentle, feather-light, and it made me shiver. Then it was rough, grabbing me and pulling me forward, sliding his lips over mine. I moaned into his mouth and he deepened the kiss, slipping his crafty tongue past my lips to tangle with my own. His other hand cupper my hip, pulling my body against his. I lifted one leg, slipping it over his narrow hips, pulling him closer. His hand slipped down, grasping my thigh hard, grinding against my hips with his own. He turned, flipping me onto my back and nestling between my thighs. He reared up, parting our lips, hair falling forward to frame his face. He caught and held my gaze.  
“I don’t want to rush this, Iona.” He rasped out, eyes almost pleading.  
“Draco, we don’t have to. I’m good with whatever pace you want to set, fast-” He quirked an eyebrow. “-slow, I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable.” I placed my hand on his chest, warm and quivering slightly. “I’m ok with anything, but I want you to know I’m ok with you not being.”  
He looked so lost for a moment. He rolled to the side, sighing. “Shit I’m sorry.” He raised his hands, putting them on his face.   
I propped myself up on my elbow, staring down at him.   
“I want you so much, Iona.” He groaned from behind his hands. “I want so bad to be ready for this.” He moved his fingers, peeking through them. “I don’t want to do you an injustice by not doing this right…does that make any sense?”  
“I think so…what makes you feel you aren’t ready?” I lay a tentative hand on his stomach. He allowed it.  
“I’m still…figuring out who I am. Kissing is one thing, but this…I feel like I shouldn’t do this until I know who I am.”  
I was silent for a moment. “Alright, is there anything I can do to help?”  
“All I’m asking for is patience.” He propped himself up, face close to mine now. “And that if it gets too much, that you let me know.”  
“Ok, seems reasonable.” I chuckled. “In the meantime, can I kiss you again?”  
A small smile graced his lips. “How could I saw no to that?”  
I leant in, inhaling his unique scent, lips touching his in a featherlight kiss. His hands came up to frame my face, pulling me against him with a small moan. We kissed until he groaned and pushed me back, grimacing at me.  
“Too much?” I teased.  
“I can’t even put it in words.” He sighed, extricating himself from my arms. His need was visually evident.  
“Can I convince you for anything but sex?” I asked, blushing at my own brazenness.  
His head came up from the pillow, an incredulous look in his eyes. “Are you offering what I think you’re offering?”   
“Why not?”  
“That hardly seems fair.” He grimaced.  
“Then maybe you can return the favor sometime?” I smiled. “I mean you did say you’d teach me kickboxing to blow off steam…how bout we try this instead?”   
He stared at me for a moment. Then, a tiny, almost imperceptible nod. I smiled, moving onto my knees, hands coming to the hem of his pants. Slowly, shakily, I pulled them down. I realized with a jolt he wasn’t wearing boxers under them. He was as silver-haired here as above, cock jutting up towards his belly as it was released from his joggers. My eyes met his.  
“You don’t have to.” He whispered.  
I closed my fingers around him, smiling at the gasp that escaped his lips. I moved, kneeling in between his legs, bending down until I was close, so close. I met his eyes again, my tongue darting out to taste just the tip of him. I felt him jerk under me.  
“Fuck Iona.” He rasped, hands coming to my head. His hands moved, grabbing my hair and holding it out the way as I folded my mouth around him, sucking lightly. I was by no means an experienced lover, but he seemed to enjoy every move, lick, and change of pace I integrated, his breathing becoming ragged, sometime his eyes capturing mine, sometimes his head thrown back into his pillow with abandon, moans coming from his mouth getting louder. I removed my mouth for a moment. His head shot up, wondering what was wrong.  
“Should we…Muffliato?” I chuckled.  
“Already done.” He affirmed. When I quirked an eyebrow at him, he quickly explained. “I’ve had it on for a while, sometimes I sing loudly in the shower.”  
“You sing in the shower?” I laughed.   
“And sometimes…I needed a cry.” He sobered up for a moment.  
I surged up, capturing his lips in a firm kiss, wiping the forlorn look from his face. “Now you can call my shoulder to cry on, deal?”  
He looked at me, unreadable expression on his face. “Deal.”  
I smiled, directing my attention back downwards.  
“Gods Iona.” He breathed as my lips closed around him again. “I love the feel of your mouth on me.”  
I felt my sex pulse at his words. I’d never had a lover that liked to talk.  
I tried taking more of him in, but I had a small mouth, so stopped short, gripping the remaining length in my hand. He moaned loudly, hips bucking up in response. I moved my hands now, gripping him under his thighs, digging my nails in until he could no doubt feel their pinch. His grip on my hair tightened almost painfully, but I didn’t care. I raked my nails up and around until one hand rested on his hip bone, my other coming to cup his taught balls. He hissed, bucking again. His eyes met mine again.  
“If it’s too much, stop me.” He gritted out, before beginning to thrust into my mouth rapidly. I returned one of my hands to his thighs, feeling his thrusting become erratic as I ran my nails lightly over his skin in patterns. I felt his balls tightened just as he groaned “Oh fuck Iona I’m going to cum.”. The burst of hot seed in my mouth made my insides clench in want, and I swallowed it, unbothered by his taste.  
I released him from my mouth, placing a kiss on each of his hip bones, before pulling his pants back up and snuggling into the crook of his arm. His chest was rising and falling at a rapid pace, still trying to catch his breath.  
“Merlin’s beard.” He breathed after a moment. He flexed his arm, pulling me closer, and placing a kiss on the top of my head. “You’ve a wicked mouth, Iona.”  
I basked in his praise. “I’m glad you think so.”  
“I know so.” He said, squeezing me against him.   
“We should probably get breakfast.” I mumbled, trying to convince myself.  
“Didn’t you eat enough just now?” He drawled.  
I shot up, gaping at him. “Draco Malfoy! You are lewd!”  
He chuckled, pushing his hair back with a lazy hand. He looked like a Greek God, the asshole.  
“Sorry, couldn’t resist.” He shrugged, joining me on his feet. He leaned down, kissing the disbelief off my face. “Come on.”


	17. Mary Is Not a Little Lamb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She took a shaky breath, staring at the door in front of her. Steeling herself, she put her hand on the ornate silver handle and turned, stepping through.  
> Four sets of eyes landed on her. One set was not human.  
> “Ah, Mary, how good of you to come. We’ve been waiting.” A cold voice called from the head of the table.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since my last upload, sorry about that! Been real busy :)  
> Hope you enjoy x

She breathed shakily, shutting the door behind her quietly and as quickly as she could, before setting off towards the woods. Mary was determined to get to the cover of the woods before someone see her from the house. She was sweating by the time she reached the tree line, but that might have been from her nerves.  
Glancing around, she found an almost imperceptible path in the scrub, following it diligently, unaware of the calling of birds or the crunch of leaves and lichen under her feet. Her head was instead whirring with what she must do.  
Moments later, a clearing was reached, and she slowed to a stop, preparing to apparate. A loud _crack!_ and she was no longer in the crisp cold of the forest, now breathing stale air in a dark room.  
She took a shaky breath, staring at the door in front of her. Steeling herself, she put her hand on the ornate silver handle and turned, stepping through.  
Four sets of eyes landed on her. One set was not human.  
“Ah, Mary, how good of you to come. We’ve been waiting.” A cold voice called from the head of the table.  
Mary took another shaky breath, stepping forward, cognizant of the large snake that had now moved behind her, blocking her exit. “My lord.”  
“Please, sit.” His pale, spider like fingers indicated a chair next to him.  
Mary forced her legs to work, walking jerkily forward, past the Malfoys, and inelegantly plonking down in the chair. This close, the fear prickled on the surface of her skin every time his snake-like features faced her.  
“You have a description of their plans?” His voice hissed.  
Mary squeaked as scaled skin brushed her ankle. “I…yes. It’s here…just here.” She mumbled, rummaging through her pocket until her fingers met paper, pulling it out and sliding it across the table.  
His fingers caught and opened it. There was a moment of chilling silence as he read.  
“So, young Draco is planning my demise.”  
Narcissa Malfoy shifted in her seat. “My lord please…”  
“Please what?” Mary felt the weight of his attention shift her way for a second. It was a relief. “Would you have me spare poor Draco? He is weak.”  
Mary watched Lucius put a controlling hand on his wife’s arm, warning her against pursuing the conversation further.  
“And you, Mary.” There was the weight again, back on her. “I thought you had him in your bed.” He showed too many teeth with that sentence, like he was leering. It was sometimes harder to define emotions on his reptilian face.  
“I…I did.” Mary clasped her hands together so they wouldn’t shake. “He’s lost interest.” She almost whispered.  
She heard a scoff, but kept her eyes trained on the dinged edge of the table in front of her. There was nail scratch marks too, and Mary dreaded to think how they had gotten there.  
“Well, that is rather inconvenient isn’t it, Mary?”  
She didn’t answer, awaiting her punishment, his wrath. Instead, his attention turned to the Malfoys.  
“You told me Mary was his type, Lucius.” He tapped a long finger on the table. “Did you lie to me?”  
“No…no, no, my lord, please! He had always taken people like Mary to bed before! How was I to know he wouldn’t be taken by her?” The blond man stuttered.  
“Then, you would say it’s her fault?”  
Lucius’ eyes darted between her and the man sitting at the head of the table. Mary saw him clench his teeth.  
“I assume so.”  
That was it, right there. Mary would be just another victim of Lucius Malfoy’s lily-livered disposition.  
The reptilian eyes returned to her.  
“Would you agree?” He inquired, lifting a hand as the snake slid under it.  
“Malfoy is an intelligent man, my lord. His mind is his own…I could not sway him, not for all the…sexual favors in the world.” There was no point in lying. Narcissa winced.  
“Hm.” The man nodded, head falling in though for a moment. “Then perhaps I must break him. Will you help me with that, Mary?”  
“I…yes, Lord Voldemort.”


	18. When Shit Goes South

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Whatever happens there, I’d just like to say you’re good folk.” Kif continued, straightening to his full height and meeting each of our gazes.  
> “I’ll second that.” I mumbled, attempting a smile.  
> “Here, here!” Pippa exclaimed, trying to put on a brave face.  
> “The loveliest bunch of rebels I ever knew.” Luna sounded from my right. Arabella nodded her concordance.  
> “Closest thing to family, for me.” Malfoy admitted. My heart clenched.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know your thoughts on this chapter!  
> Always appreciate the Kudos and comments :)  
> x

“We’ve got new intel.” Malfoy said, strolling into the library where Pippa and I were sitting. We looked up, waiting. “Voldemort is going to be at a villa not far from London as of tomorrow.”  
I looked at Pippa. We’d been waiting for any whiff of information for a couple of weeks now. “That’s great news. Are we trying for the plan?”  
“It’s now or never.” Kif said, appearing at the door, folding his arms. His usual carefree expression was missing.  
There was a heavy silence for a moment. Malfoy caught my eye for a second, before turning his head as Mary joined Kif at the door.  
“D-day huh?” She asked. Her skin was pale, taught, she looked like she hadn’t slept well in weeks.  
“Seems like it.” Malfoy answered.  
Now the silence was awkward.  
“Well…I’m going to go prepare some stuff then.” I broke it, standing and squeezing in between Kif and Mary to head upstairs. Every step I took up the stairs I felt heavier of the heart, anxiety creeping up my spine and settling down the back of my neck.  
I tried taking a few steadying breaths, looking around my room, trying to figure out where to start. I decided on the clothing I’d wear. It would have to be tight so I couldn’t be grabbed or yanked around, with some pockets to put my wand and a knife or two. I’d heard from the others that they had an arsenal somewhere.  
“You doing ok?” Malfoy’s voice startled me.  
“I uh…” My hand reached into my hair. “I don’t know.”  
He entered my room. Waving the door shut behind him. “What are you feeling?” He didn’t come into my personal space, instead sitting on my bed.  
“I’m anxious about tomorrow.” I took another deep breath. “My mind is currently running through all the possible ways this could go wrong.”  
“There’s no use in that.” He said quietly.  
“Tell my overactive imagination that.” I groaned, falling onto the bed beside him.  
“It’ll be fine.” He mumbled, bumping his head against my shoulder, lips settling on my skin there. “How can I help?”  
I craned my neck to see him. “Distract me.”  
He arched an eyebrow questioningly. I twisted, sliding my thighs either side of his hips, settling into his lap. He made a surprised noise, hands coming to rest on my hips. I buried my own into his hair, pulling it loose from the bun he had it in. I stooped my head, sliding my lips of his. His beard was scratchy but it didn’t bother me at all, in fact, it aroused me to no end. He moved, placing open-mouthed kisses down my neck, eliciting a series of noises from me. Suddenly conscious of something I pushed back for a moment.  
“Noise. Spell.” I gasped out. He nodded, getting out his wand and casting _Muffliato_.  
He threw it towards the pillows, returning his hands to my body, pulling me flush against him, lips on my collarbone. I sighed into him, fingers playing with the button of his shirt, pulling them through their buttonholes deftly until I could push the fabric off his shoulders. The discovery of new skin to touch sent a thrill down my back and as soon as his head came up from my own neck, I dived at his, placing kisses and love bites down the length of it and onto his shoulder. He groaned in my ear, his own fingers trying to divest me of my clothing. I moved, trying to adjust myself to a more comfortable position, and only succeeded in sitting more fully on his lap, his erection evident against my inner thigh. The feeling of it made my blood race.  
“Good lord Iona.” He hissed, bucking up involuntarily at this new angle.  
I hummed equal appreciation, sliding my hips forward and back, beginning a rhythm.  
“Iona.” He warned, hand on my waist stilling my movements.  
“Sorry.” I whispered, finding his gaze, frantic but schooled into apparent calm to anyone that might not know him.  
He attempted a smile, sliding me off his lap and standing, immediately stooping over me. “My turn.” He grinned now, grasping my thighs, and pulling me towards the edge of the bed, yanking my pants off. His hot breath on my inner thigh made me squirm as he placed open-mouthed kisses on my sensitive skin there, edging ever closer to the fabric of my underwear. I gasped when his mouth pressed into the fabric and his gaze found mine, inhaling deep. He hooked his fingers around the elastic near my hip bones, slipping it down past my knees, my ankles, my toes, off.  
I watched shyly as he looked straight at me for a moment, before meeting my eyes again. He surged up, kissing me in an almost chaste manner, before leaning back, palms under my calves to guide my feet to his shoulders. He smirked at me as I pulled a pillow down to support my head and without warning, dipped his head down, placing a long, wet lick on my center. I threw my head back, taking a deep, gasping breath as his lips locked around my clit, tongue swirling at a maddening pace. I dug my fingers into his hair, pulling him harder against me, and earning a muffled moan from him. The resulting vibrations made me jerk, and I felt him smile as I released a breathy moan. His fingers came up, slicking in my wet heat and sliding inside, first one, then two, then three, which he pumped in a constant, mind-numbing rhythm. I heard a rustle and glanced down, realizing he had unzipped his jeans with his free hand, pulling out his own arousal and stroking it lazily as he feasted on me. The sight made my libido kick into overdrive and I gasped, meeting his eyes as he curled his fingers inside me, and just like that, I was close, so close to coming undone, and I felt I needed to tell him, so I did.  
“Merlin Draco, I’m so close. Fuck, please.” My words turned to incoherent babbling of his name and moans, but I made sure to keep my eyes trained on the sight in front of me, spurring me on as I climbed, climbed, climbed - and crashed.  
I came undone under his ministrations, ignorant of the amount of noise I was making, nor the way my face and chest flushed, the way my thighs clamped around his head, almost unrealizing of the way my fingers dug into his scalp to ensure he didn’t move before I had ridden out the best orgasm I’d wager I’d ever had. Malfoy, however, noticed it all. I only realized he too had joined me in climax until my vision refocused on him.  
“Fuck.” I stated, unable to think.  
“I’ll second that.” He drawled, magicking himself clean and tucking himself back into his jeans. The visual made my sex throb, imagining what it might feel like for him to fuck me with them on, open just enough to allow his beautiful cock out. We’d get there. Oh, would we.  
He crawled up, pulling me higher on the bed in the process, and lay next to me on his side, apparently content to watch my breathing slowly go back to normal. I placed an innocent kiss on his forehead.  
“Thanks. I feel better.” I grinned.  
“I’d hope so.” He smirked, fingers tracing circles on my arm.  
We both fell silent, sobering now the afterglow was wearing off.  
“If I die tomorrow…if there is a body, I’d like to be cremated and spread in the forest here.” I suddenly blurted out.  
“Merlin Iona.” Malfoy answered. “That’s dark.”  
“Well, it is a possibility.”  
“I’ll do everything to get us all back safe.” He mumbled back, burying his face in my neck.  
“I know that.” I answered, raising my hand to stroke his hair gently.  
We didn’t discuss it further, and as the endorphins ebbed, my anxiety came back with all the delicacy of a bull in a china shop. But I didn’t tell him that, I just continued stroking his hair, hoping it would soothe me. It didn’t.  
We all sat quietly at dinner that night, Kif trying to keep a conversation going, but most of us were too far off in our minds to contribute. Eventually, he gave up, getting up to make tea and clean up.  
I slept fitfully, in Malfoy’s bed, rising once or twice to stare out the window when I couldn’t sleep, conscious of his eyes on my back when I did. At dawn, he rose with me, holding me from behind, both of us watching the sun rise over the treetops, both silent. We shared another intimate moment in the sheets, touches almost desperate in their manner, before joining the others, geared up and somber.  
“Well, it’s time.” Kif said, looking the most serious I’d ever seen him.  
Something in me was shocked to see Pippa ready to go too. Of course she was, she’d been training with us all along. But seeing her readying for battle was too real.  
“Whatever happens there, I’d just like to say you’re good folk.” Kif continued, straightening to his full height and meeting each of our gazes.  
“I’ll second that.” I mumbled, attempting a smile.  
“Here, here!” Pippa exclaimed, trying to put on a brave face.  
“The loveliest bunch of rebels I ever knew.” Luna sounded from my right. Arabella nodded her concordance.  
“Closest thing to family, for me.” Malfoy admitted. My heart clenched.  
I glanced at Mary. She looked green, stricken. “You alright Mary?” I inquired.  
“Just nervous.” She answered. “Just nervous, yes.” She repeated, quieter, as though she was almost talking to herself.  
“Well, let’s go kill Voldemort.” Kif affirmed.

  
__

  
I gasped in air like a madwoman, curses and counter-curses whizzing through the air around me, debris falling, flying. My ears were ringing from the assault they were receiving, and I had to blink my eyes fast to clear them of dust. Making sure no one was behind me, I crawled forward to a pillar, peeking around it carefully.  
The scene in front of me was a mess.  
A villa courtyard was blasted open, naked brick almost as red as the blood plastered around. Towards my left, a Death Eater I was certain was dead. I searched frenetically until my eyes alighted on a small frame. Pippa.  
She was slumped against a pillar across the way, head lolling forward, blood dripping from a wound on her scalp. My heart clenched and skipped a beat. _Please don’t be dead. Please don’t be dead. Please Pippa._  
I squinted at the dust-filled air, trying to see if I could reach her without being seen. I could see spells winging their way at each other, now further away. I decided to go for it. I sprinted, low as I could, across the clearing, silently praying to any deity that might listen to keep us safe. Whether they listened or not, I reached her form unscathed, gingerly pushing her head back, placing violently shaking fingers at her pulse point in her neck. _Shit! Nothing. Nothing. Oh God. No, please…_  
A faint bump against my fingers. My heart soared. Alive!  
“Pippa?” I whispered, glancing around again. “Pippa, please tell me you can hear me.”  
She didn’t answer. My mind raced. Deciding it wouldn’t be a good idea to move her like this, I took the risk of healing her here, out in the open. I felt my anxiety tugging at my concentration, attempting to sabotage me, but I shoved it away. I couldn’t fail now.  
I stilled my trembling hands. “ _Vulnera Sanentur_.”  
I glanced around nervously as my wand glowed, spell knitting back together her skin on her scalp. I didn’t have time to fixe everything, but I silently prayed that was enough for now. I shoved me wand where I could grab it quickly, and gingerly picked up Pippa, cradling her small body against me. She was even lighter than I expected. For some reason that made the backs of my eyes prickle with tears. I blinked them away. I didn’t have the time, I needed to find the others.  
Gritting my teeth, I set forward into the dusty air, towards the source of flashing lights. I tripped, twice on the legs of Death Eaters. One held no trace of what had killed her. The other, poor soul, was still gurgling, face blown half off by some damaging spell. I stared down at his one good eye for a moment. It was wide, pupil blown large in pain. His hand twitched beside him. I pointed my wand at him. His expression relaxed, and he welcomed the sweet release of death.  
“Malfoy?” I hissed when I rounded the corner of the villa, finding him crouched near a body.  
“Iona?” He whispered back, rising and turning. “Shit, I was so scared when I couldn’t find you.” He stopped when he saw who I was holding. “Is…is she?”  
“Alive, but barely.” I answered quickly. “The others?”  
“Kif and Luna have Arabella.” He answered, glancing around, grip on his wand white-knuckled. “She got caught by a curse, but she’ll be ok.”  
We ducked out of the open, flattening ourselves against a wall as a group of dark-clad wizards walked by.  
“Mary?” I asked.  
Malfoy shook his head. “As soon as curses started flying, she disappeared.”  
“How do we get to Kif and the others?”  
“Carefully. We need to get to them, apparate to a place we have a portkey, and use that to get home. We can’t risk them grabbing one of us and hitching a ride, or tracing us somehow.” He looked at me. “You alright to carry her?”  
“Fine. You’re a faster spell caster, it’s better you have your wand hand free.”  
He looked at me. “I’m glad you’re both ok.”  
My bottom lip quivered. He noticed, reaching behind my head, and pulling me close, lips on my forehead.  
“Let’s get the fuck out of here.”  
We creeped carefully, painfully slowly through the rubble, spooking at every noise, flinching every time the rubble shifted too loudly under our feet. Somehow, we managed to exit the villa without seeing any more Death Eaters.  
“This way.” Malfoy urged, signaling I go first into a tunnel. At the end, I could see Kif and the others huddled. I crouched, Pippa still in my arms, and walked through, turning to make sure he was behind me.  
“Well, what a surprise, Draco Malfoy. I should have known I’d see you again.” The voice made my blood run cold.  
Before I could scream, I saw Draco’s wand flick, and my voice caught in my throat. Suddenly, his voice was in my head.  
“ _Please go, he didn’t see you. Take Pippa, get the others to safety. Please Iona_.”  
I tried to protest, screaming in my mind, but he was adamant.  
“ _Iona, for Pippa. Please. You need to get her somewhere safe_.”  
“ _I can’t just leave you here, with him!_ ” I protested mentally.  
“ _You have to_.”  
“Lord Voldemort.” He answered in speech to the man outside.  
“I must admit, I wasn’t expecting such a frontal attack. Or rather, I was, but the courage…didn’t seem like you.” The Dark Lord sneered. “I know you did not act alone though, where are your friends?”  
“Gone.”  
“ _Go Iona, I’m begging you._ ” I heard in my head at the same time he answered Voldemort.  
“Shame. I’d like ever so to meet them.” His voice reminded me of slithering damp places. I gagged.  
I was overwhelmed with a sense of urgency to leave. I knew it was Malfoy influencing me, but I ceded.  
“ _Don’t you dare die on me Draco Malfoy._ ” I shoved into his mind.  
“ _I don’t plan on it. You…stay safe, sweetheart. I…just be careful. Take care of Pippa._ ” Even in my head his voice sounded uncertain. I couldn’t hear the conversation between him and the Dark Lord anymore, my feet slowly carrying me farther down the tube as I heard the crack of apparating Death Eaters. There were too many.  
“ _We’ll come for you_.” I whispered in his mind, feeling the connection breaking.  
“ _You bloody better. My brave witch_.” And suddenly his presence in my mind was gone. I heard more apparating, and I knew he was gone, taken by them.  
Numbly, I completed the distance between me and the others.  
“Where’s Malfoy?” Kif asked, a large gash through his eyebrow bleeding into his left eye.  
I sobbed suddenly, unable to contain it anymore. “Voldemort got him. We…we were just here…but he caught him. Malfoy forced me to leave…Pippa...”  
Silence for a moment. “Alright love.”  
“We have to get him back.” I whispered.  
“We will. Pippa needs attention, Arabella and Luna aren’t doing too hot either.” Kif’s voice was steady now, rational.  
“He’s alone.” My voice cracked, and I wept silently.  
“He’s a strong lad. Right now, the best we can do is recoup. Trust me Iona.”  
I nodded then, accepting his hand.  
We apparated near my old apartment. I stared at the alleyway that led to it as we ran past, making a beeline for the café. It felt like looking into a faded past, and it wrenched at my stomach even more.


	19. When the Dust Settles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How are you, Iona?” Her grayish-blue eyes were kind.  
> “I…holding up. Worried. Anxious. But ok.” I answered honestly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy x

“How’s she doing?” Kif came into the small room.  
“Her pulse is steady. But she hasn’t woke yet.” I looked up to him. “Did I fuck something up?”  
“Don’t think that, Iona.” He came next to me, placing a heavy hand on my shoulder. “She was hurt bad, she’s probably just healing.”  
I looked back at Pippa’s small form, chest rising and falling slowly but constantly. I wished there was something more I could do.  
“Wait, Luna is a Legilimens right?” I asked Kif as I followed him out Pippa’s room.  
“Suppose she is, yes. Why?” He answered, heading downstairs.  
“Maybe she can try and get into Pippa’s mind, see if everything is ok, if she can jog her awake.”  
“Worth a try once Luna is back to health.” He admitted. “For now, you should eat.”  
“I’m not hungry.” I answered automatically. My stomach called my bluff, rumbling loudly as a whiff of toast scented the air.  
“Mhm.” Kif looked at me sideways. “You haven’t eaten since we got back a day ago, Iona. Just try some toast.”  
“I…don’t want anything.”  
“Starving yourself won’t help get him back. Nor will it aid Pippa.” He said firmly, watching my expression. “Now sit yourself there and I’ll make coffee and toast.”  
I tried grumbling, but he just ignored me until I sat at the table.   
The kitchen felt painfully empty as I waited for him to bring me breakfast. I tried to focus on the noises of him bumbling around, but my mind would twinge back to that night, to the shake in Malfoy’s voice as Voldemort talked to him, to the blood that had soaked into my shirt.  
“Don’t think on it too much, lass.” Kif’s voice interrupted my thoughts.  
“I wasn’t…” I started to lie, but stopped. “Sorry, it’s hard.”  
“I know.” He popped to toaster, placing the toast on a plate and spreading a generous layer of butter and jam over top. “But we need to try our best. Dwelling on what happened won’t help us. Not on the parts you’re thinking about anyway.”  
I watched him wait for the coffee, and then pour it into two mugs. “You’re right. We should think about the parts that matter.” He joined me at the table with the toast and mugs of coffee. “Like how Voldemort and the Death Eaters knew we’d come. And how Mary mysteriously went missing.”  
I watched Kif’s strained expression pull at the lines on his face. “Aye. I believe, Iona, that we got got.”  
I sipped my coffee. “I think so. She’d been acting strangely, I mean more than usual, in the last few weeks. I know I didn’t exactly know her well but…I felt the shift.” I chomped down on the toast. It tasted divine, despite my earlier misgivings.  
“I did too.” He looked sad. “She was never cozy, but she had participated, before.”  
“Do you think it might have been Polyjuice potion?” I asked, reaching for a second piece of toast. Kif looked at my quizzically. “Like that it wasn’t really her?”  
“Well…it’s a possibility but somehow, I doubt it. There were other things there, things typically hers, that someone might have a hard time repeating if they didn’t know her. Plus, she knew about past conversations, events, etc. It was her.” He took a long sip from his mug, contemplative. “That doesn’t mean it wasn’t entirely up to her though.”  
I raised an eyebrow inquisitively.  
“The Dark Lord is well known for manipulation and blackmail.” He shrugged. “It’s a possibility.”  
“I guess it is.” I agreed.   
We fell silent then, finishing a few more pieces of toast in quiet reflection.  
“Arabella will want something to eat, maybe Luna too, if she’s up for it.” Kif broke the silence. “I was thinking a nice vegetable soup. They won’t wake for another hour or so most likely. Shal we go see what the garden patch might have?”  
I knew he was uniting cheering me up and making them food with the suggestion of a garden visit, but I smiled as honestly as I could muster and nodded.   
Outside there was frost on the ground, and a few snowflakes whizzing in the air, dissolving just before they hit the ground. I wrapped my scarf tighter, glancing back to make sure Kif was behind me, before setting off down the frozen path, shoulders hunched up against the cold.   
Inside the greenhouse it was, of course, magically warmer, and we both breathed sighs of relief once we had shut the door.   
“Well, the pumpkins outside looked good.” I ventured, trying not to think about the last time we had all been in the greenhouse, happy and carefree.   
“We could use one yes, and these here kale look fine.” He agreed, picking off a handful of dark green leaves. “And maybe some of those potatoes. We’ve still got onions and garlic in the kitchen.”  
I nodded. Our eyes met. My bottom lip quivered.  
“Ah lass, come here.” Kif said, putting down the kale and beckoning me in for a hug.   
I lay my head on his big chest, crying silently. His big arms made me feel safe, and I could hear his heartbeat against my ear. He held me until I stopped sobbing, when he stepped back, wiped the tears away from my eyes, and smiled.  
“It’s going to be fine. We need to stay strong for them.”  
“I know. Thanks, Kif. I’m really glad you’re here with me to help deal with this. I don’t know what I’d do if you had been hurt too.” I admitted, giving his hands a squeeze before releasing them.  
“Likewise.” He smiled.  
I wiped the rest of my tears away. “At least you can keep it together.” I chuckled.  
“Not always.” He answered plainly.  
We stared at the budding seeds to our right for a moment, before mutually moving to pick a few more bits and bobs. Outside the cold hit us again, freezing my tear-stained cheeks and making my eyes smart. We quickly made our way back to the warmth of the house, placing our finds in the sinks to be rinsed off. Half an hour later, the kitchen smelt of comforting vegetable soup.  
“Here.” Kif handed me a tray with two bowls of soup, picking up a small basket of bread and some coffee too, and following me upstairs.   
I diverted on the first staircase to the room I knew Luna had occupied. I assumed Arabella’s was down this corridor too. We turned in at the first door after knocking softly. Arabella was sat up in bed, Luna was curled up in a plush armchair next to her, chatting. She smiled when we entered, but I could see her eyes were tight in the corners with pain and exhaustion. Her arm was cradled against her in a sling, Arabella’s left eye was swollen and purple.  
“We’ve brought soup and bread.” Kif offered.  
“Oh lovely!” Luna exclaimed. “I’m starving.”  
The two women ate half their bowls and a few bits of bread before Luna spoke.  
“How are you, Iona?” Her grayish-blue eyes were kind.  
“I…holding up. Worried. Anxious. But ok.” I answered honestly.  
She nodded.  
“How about both of you?” I asked, conscious of Arabella’s gaze on me.  
“Oh, well I’m alright. Arm is sore still, but given the state of events, pretty lucky.” Luna answered.  
“I feel horrendous, but I’m alive.” Arabella’s weedy voice was quiet but firm.  
“Well, I’m a bit tired from treating Pippa, but I can try and heal some of your ailments.” I offered.  
“I’m terrible at healing spells, or I’d help.” Kif hung his head.  
“Well, if Iona can get my arm strong enough to hold a wand, I can help.” Luna offered, looking at her limp limb.  
I nodded, waiting for them to finish their soup before setting to healing her arm as best I could. I could feel myself getting tired as I worked, spells glowing as I cast them. By the end I could see blue tints at the side of my vision, and I was glad Luna had joined in to help me patch up Arabella.  
“Thanks, Luna. I couldn’t have done it without you.” I sighed.  
“Not at all, it’s my pleasure.” She sing-songed.  
Arabella kindly asked if we might leave so she could have a nap, so we gathered the bowls and plates, gently shutting the door behind us as we left.  
“Luna, I wonder if I might ask you something.” I ventured as Kif did the washing up.  
“Of course, what’s up?” She smiled at me from where she sat on the kitchen table, feet swinging.  
“Pippa hasn’t woken yet. Since she hit her head, I’m afraid I might have done something wrong…you do legillemency right?”  
“I do, yes. You want me to see if I can have a look inside her mind, then?” She asked, hopping off the table.  
“If you feel up to it.” I felt almost guilty for asking her, so newly healed.  
“Sure.” She smiled.  
Kif let us know he was staying back to deal with a few things, so Luna and I headed up to Pippa’s bedroom. Inside it was cold, so I lit a jar fire, placing it on the windowsill. I turned back, almost afraid to look at the fragile girl in the bed. Luna was sat beside her now, pale hand on her forehead. I waited with bated breath as she worked, silent lest I break her concentration. Anxiety creeped back into the fringes of my awareness. I paced, glancing out the window. There was a murmuration of starlings swirling over the canopy not far away. I let the organic shapes mesmerize me, trying to ignore the now suffocating level of anxiety I felt.  
“Iona?” Luna’s voice was close, and I felt her hand on my shoulder.   
“It didn’t work, did it?”  
“She’s fine inside there, everything is functional. She has to decide to come back though. I can’t get to her actual consciousness. She’s like…behind a curtain of fog.”  
“Thanks for trying.” I answered, defeated.  
“She’s a strong girl, she’ll find her way back.” She assured me.  
I nodded.  
“You’re worried about Draco too.” She said, matter-of-factly.  
“Obvious is it?”  
“It’s only natural. But if it’s any consolation, I don’t think Voldemort would kill him immediately. Draco has said he thought he would kill him on sight, but I don’t think so.”  
“I can’t bear to think what he’s going through.” I admitted.  
“It isn’t your fault, Iona.” She said, as though reading my mind. Maybe she was. “For now, let’s go get some tea.”


	20. Whispers in the Dark, Plans in the Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s good to see you too. I thought…I thought you’d become a Death Eater.” Malfoy answered, rubbing his wrists where the chains chaffed.  
> “I did.” She hung her head in shame. “For a while.”  
> “So did I, for a while. I got out.” He answered, sympathetic to her plight.  
> “I didn’t…not really. I met someone. They were…part of the crowd that was against it.” She paused. “I fell in love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone sticking around for the story! x

Draco woke with a start, muscles protesting at the movement. The cold dank floor felt like it clung to his skin even as he rose into a seated position. His fingers found a sore patch on his forehead and they came back scarlet with fresh blood, just visible in the dim light.  
He looked around, trying to squint in the dark to see anything. There was only a stronger light in a far-right corner, but Draco could see bars between him and it.  
Something moved near him. Primal fear kicked in, normal in any person found in an unknown place, in the dark. He strained his ears to pick up on any clues. The shuffling stopped, and silence fell like a blanket.  
“Who’s there?” He whispered, afraid of speaking louder.  
Another shuffle.  
“Draco?” A questioning voice, weak, but recognizable.  
“Pansy?” He answered.  
“Oh, gods it is you.” Her voice sounded more confident now.  
“What in Merlin’s name are you doing here?” He questioned, trying to search for her outline.  
She moved again and he could just make out the outline of her pale face.  
“I’ve been here for a while. I was…caught.” She replied, reaching out to him.  
He reciprocated, pulling her towards him so she sat close enough he could now see the shine of light in her eyes.  
“I thought I’d never see anyone again.” Her voice quivered and almost broke. “You can’t comprehend how much relief it is to see you. Although of course it’s not good, because that means we’re both stuck here.”  
“It’s good to see you too. I thought…I thought you’d become a Death Eater.” Malfoy answered, rubbing his wrists where the chains chaffed.  
“I did.” She hung her head in shame. “For a while.”  
“So did I, for a while. I got out.” He answered, sympathetic to her plight.  
“I didn’t…not really. I met someone. They were…part of the crowd that was against it.” She paused. “I fell in love.”  
Malfoy was quiet for a moment. When they’d dated back in school, he’d always wondered if a girl like Pansy would ever truly love anyone but herself, but seemingly, something had changed.  
“And this person…where are they?” He asked.  
He heard a sob. “I don’t know.” She gathered herself. “I’ve been here for…I’ve lost count exactly, but it must be close to a year.”  
“Gods Pansy, that’s horrid.” Malfoy breathed. “Come here.”  
They embraced, both scared, both cold, but both infinitely better in one another’s company.

___

Malfoy woke with a start, startling Pansy awake at the same time. They had huddled together for warmth and must have fallen asleep shortly after. But something must have woke him. He didn’t remember it being a nightmare or anything of the sort. Then he heard it again, a faint tapping sound.  
“What is that?” Pansy asked in a whispered tone.  
“I don’t know.” He whispered back. “Have you ever heard anything else down here?”  
“Sometimes…but I’ve never seen anyone or anything else, except for the Death Eater’s that come to bring food sometimes.” She paused. “What should we do?”  
Malfoy pondered a moment. He decided. Placing a hand on Pansy’s arm in case something bad happened, he called out. “Hello? Is there someone there?”  
Silence for a moment. Then some scuffling. “Just be me, sir.” A small, weedy voice answered. A House Elf.  
“Who’s me?” Malfoy insisted.  
“My name be Muffin, sir.”  
Malfoy almost laughed. “Pleased to meet you Muffin. Tell me something, are you chained?”  
“I do be being chained, sir, yes.”  
“Any chance you might be able to use your magic?” Pansy inquired.  
“No ma’am. These chains be enchanted ma’am.” Muffin replied. “May I be inquiring your names?”  
“I’m Pansy, this is Draco.” She answered.  
A pause. “Draco Malfoy?” Came the inquiry from the other side of the room.  
“In the flesh.” Malfoy responded. “Do you know me?”  
“No sir, not really, but a cousin of mine be working in you Manor, sir.” The tone was almost accusatory.  
“Not my Manor anymore, to be honest.” Malfoy answered.  
“Why not sir?”  
“I…left. My parent’s views and mine…didn’t line up.”  
Another pause. “You be saying that you don’t support the Dark Lord, sir?”  
“Why else would I be down here?” Malfoy answered.  
A shuffle, and then the silhouette of a House Elf could be made out against the bars, tennis ball-sized eyes glittering in the dark.  
“Then you are friends.” Muffin confirmed.  
“That we seem to be.” Malfoy agreed.  
Muffin picked at his chains, sound tinkling in the silent room.  
“Do sir and ma’am have other friends?” He asked.  
Malfoy’s chest twisted a little at the thought of the safehouse, of Pippa, Kif…Iona. Of Luna and Arabella. He hoped they were alright. A pang of anger and confusion as he thought of Mary.   
“I do.” He answered, voice a little strangled. He could feel Pansy watching him.  
“I did. I hope I still do.” Pansy answered then.  
Muffin turned his head to the side and Malfoy could see his eyes were a sea green.  
“Do these friends be coming to help?” The House Elf asked, curling his long fingers around the bars in an anticipatory way.  
“I hope so, Muffin. I’m sure they will, in fact.” Malfoy answered.  
“That be good, Mr. Malfoy. It is good to have hope after such a long time.”

___

“So, what’s the plan?” I asked, falling into the chair next to Luna, who was sitting on the floor, as she usually did, sipping tea.  
“As far as those two sources I visited could tell me, they are keeping Malfoy in a different place from where Voldemort is.” Kif answered, handing me a mug of coffee as he too settled in a chair.  
“Where?” Arabella asked, still looked ragged and tired.  
“Somewhere in the Oxgate Industrial Park in London.” Kif responded.  
“So how do we narrow down somewhere?” I asked.  
“It won’t be easy. Luna is a pretty amazing Legillimens but even for her, it might be difficult to project her mind far enough to find them.” Kif answered, looking uncomfortable. “Not to mention getting around the area won’t be easy, it’s crawling with Death Eaters.”  
“How about we fight fire with fire?” I suggested. “We kidnap two Death Eaters and use Polyjuice potion to roam the area?”  
Kif shook his head. “Maybe possible, somehow, but getting into any of the buildings will be impossible, they have Secrecy Sensors on all the entrances.”  
I swore. I sipped my coffee, hoping the bitter liquid might rustle up some ideas.  
“And there’s still the possibility that as soon as anything goes awry, Voldemort appears out of nowhere.”  
“Do we know where he is, by the way?” Luna asked, moving to rest her back against my legs.  
The warmth was comforting. It soothed my anxiety for a moment. I knew she was skimming on the surface of my mind, as I was no doubt haphazardly projecting my emotions into the air. I silently thanked her for the gesture and watched her turn her head slightly with a small smile and a tiny nod.  
“Latest says a big townhouse in Kent.” Kif answered, placing his empty mug on the side table and leaning forward, hands clasped, elbows resting on his knees. “I saw we play a little game of diversion.” He smiled, and it wasn’t a pretty smile. It was a smile full of promise. We smiled back.


	21. Diversionary Tactics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I glanced at Luna. “Ready?”  
> “As one can be. You alright Iona?”  
> I knew she could feel my anxiety. I knew she knew I had, at a time, been unable to do magic due to it. I knew what she was really asking.  
> I nodded firmly. She smiled. “Let’s go then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> big chapter, hope you enjoy ;) x

I looked at the foreign woman leaning over Pippa’s frame.  
“You’ll take good care of her?” I inquired, mix of fear and excitement churning in my gut.  
“Of course.” The witch smiled at me, taking up a seat next to Pippa’s bed.  
“There’s no one I’d rather trust with Pippa’s wellbeing.” Kif confirmed. “Sam has been my friends since…well too long.” He chuckled.  
I nodded in acceptance, leaning down to kiss Pippa on the forehead. “You get better, we’re bringing Draco home, and I’m sure you’ll want to see him.” I whispered in her ear. “We need you too, Pippa.”  
Luna patted my shoulder lightly as we left the room, and I sniffed, stifling tears. Tears of fear, of longing for this to all be over. Kif stayed back for a moment to talk to Sam. I knew he’d be giving her instructions in case we didn’t return. I took a deep breath.  
We all gathered at the door, checking our pockets for knives, wands and other knick-knacks that might come in handy.  
“So, are we really doing this?” Kif asked, meeting each of our gazes individually.  
We all nodded.  
“Back into the belly of the beast.” I said, tightening a strap where my wand was holstered.  
“Nothing ever gained from the sidelines.” Luna chimed up, tying back her flowing hair.  
“In the end the sorting hat was wrong wasn’t it?” Arabella piped up.  
“Wrong?” I asked, pulling on gloves.  
“It said the brave were to be sorted into Gryffindor. Yet, here in front of me stand two Hufflepuffs, and one Ravenclaw.” Arabella smiled. “And I’ll be damned if I ever saw a more courageous bunch of witches.”  
“Arabella you old poet.” Kif chuckled, pulling us all into a group hug.  
Squished into the embrace, I swallowed thickly against the tears that threatened to spill. We stayed thus for a moment, before a final squeeze, and we were apart, out the door, frigid air a slap of reality.  
We walked for a few miles before we apparated with a crack, exchanging frost-covered trees for towering apartment buildings.  
I glanced at Luna. “Ready?”  
“As one can be. You alright Iona?”  
I knew she could feel my anxiety. I knew she knew I had, at a time, been unable to do magic due to it. I knew what she was really asking.  
I nodded firmly. She smiled. “Let’s go then.”  
In the city it wasn’t as cold as the safehouse, but the wind was biting nonetheless, and we both hunched against it as we made our way down the blocks of city street. Around us, muggles made their way to work, faces scrunched against the wind, posture betraying the underlying fear that always ran through them now.  
As we walked, buildings thinned, got shorter, and more office-like. A sign let us know we were heading towards the Oxgate Industrial facility. I glanced up at it as we passed, catching Luna’s eye. She nodded at me. We found the spot discussed, a small hill overlooking the majority of the area.  
“Ready?” She asked when we had found a few bushes and trees to hide behind.  
“As one can be.” I echoed her previous statement.  
She pulled two items out of her bag with her wand, placing them in front of where they stood. We both took out our wands.  
“You can do this, Iona. Anxiety can’t hold you back, so don’t let it.” Luna affirmed, icy blue eyes full of determination.  
I nodded, and we turned towards the two clay statues in front of us. Steeling myself, we cast simultaneous transfiguration spells that we had been practicing for weeks.  
At first, nothing happened. Then, slowly, a shimmering mist seemed to cover the forms, filling out shapes, swapping clay for skin, hair erupting, eyes opening. When it was over, two people stood in front of us, as if awaiting orders.  
I glanced at Luna nervously.  
“It worked.” She breathed. “Right.” She busied herself in her bag again, pulling out clothes, which she magicked onto the bodies in front of us.  
It was weird seeing a copy of Luna right in front of her. And in front of me, well…I stared into his grey eyes. They stared back without the normal warmth.  
“I think we’re probably the most recognizable ones to the Death Eaters, so this should work as a nice distraction.” Luna’s voice broke my thoughts. “Let’s go.”  
We made our way cautiously towards the buildings, casting a quick disillusionment charm so that we would blend into the background as we moved around. My heart beat frantically as we hid from a Death Eater flying overhead on a broom. Once he had passed, Luna turned to me (I could only tell because I could feel her in my mind, which is how we hadn’t lost each other yet).  
“Ok, I’m going to start searching. Our decoys should be reaching the entrance soon.” I felt her grab my hand. “You have to guide me a bit as I search.”  
“Ok, I’m ready.” I answered after realizing she wouldn’t see me nod.  
We straightened, and I strode out, pulling her along beside me. It felt horribly exposed, but I swallowed my fear, keeping down the straight path of the street between industrial buildings, silently hoping Luna could find them soon. It was eerily quiet, and I felt as though my heartbeat would be too loud, that someone would hear.  
A sudden shout made me jump so hard I nearly let go of Luna’s hand. She pushed into my panicked mind.  
 _They’ve found the decoys. They don’t know we’re here._  
I took a steeling breath, gripping her hand tighter and starting to walk again. We followed the grid-like pattern of streets methodically, dodging one or two running Death Eaters. Then, Luna tugged on my hand.  
 _I’ve found them._

___

Kif glanced at the small woman beside him. “You ready for this Arabella?”  
She looked up at him. “I’m never much use, Kif. But I’ll do my best.”  
A shout from a Death Eater pulled their attention back forward.  
“It’s time.” Kif said, smiling at Arabella as she palmed a nasty looking knife.  
They surged forward through the shadows as quickly and quietly as they could until they could see the Death Eater.  
“My Lord, they’ve caught sight of the Luna girl and Draco at Oxgate.” He said, looking visibly nervous.  
Kif and Arabella watched Voldemort’s head turn to look at the man in front of him.  
“How is that possible?” His eyes narrowed. “Have they been caught?”  
“Uh…no sir, they are in pursuit. Apparently, they had some sort of explosive distraction devices.”  
Kif thought he could see sweat beading on the man’s brow from where they stood.  
Voldemort stood, slender, pale hand coming to the man’s neck. “The only reason I haven’t broken your neck yet, Yaxley, is because if they get away, you’ll be the sorry fool to be punished for it. And it won’t be as quick as a snapped neck, I can guarantee you that.”  
Kif shifted on his feet, getting ready to spring. He felt Arabella next to him doing the same.  
“My lord…” The Death Eater named Yaxley pleaded.  
“Shut it Yaxley. I’ll just have to see to it myself, as usual. This time, I’ll kill the Draco boy!” The Dark Lord hissed, throwing the Death Eater from his grip so that he stumbled and then recovered.  
As soon as Voldemort did this, they surged forward towards Nagini, who was on the floor next to him. An explosion, a knife arching through the air, and the crack of apparition.  
“My Lord?” Yaxley shouted as the dust settled.  
“Yaxley.” A weakened voice called out.  
“My Dark Lord, what has happened?” Yaxley scrambled to his lord’s side.  
A scream of pure rage ripped out from the dark wizard, and Yaxley finally saw what had happened. Nagini lay, limp in a pool of blood, fanged, open-mouthed skull rolled a few feet away, as though in a mockery of attack.  
“Shit.” Said Yaxley, eyes going wide as a crack of green stole his life.  
___

Draco strained his ears. He could have sworn he’d heard someone at the door, but a Death Eater had only just come to give them food not an hour ago.  
“Draco?” Pansy inquired from beside him in a hushed voice.  
“Stay behind me.” He answered, squinting towards the general direction of the door.  
Some more shuffling, then voices, quiet, female.  
“-here, definitely here.”  
 _Was that…_  
“Lead the way.” Another voice.  
“Iona?” Draco called out, heart leaping out of his chest.  
A pause. “ _Lumos_.” Another moment. “Draco?” I asked.  
“Oh, thank Merlin it’s you.” I heard him answer.  
I nearly squealed in excitement, and ran down the rest of the stairs, dim white light of the spell casting onto two figures huddled behind bars. I recognized Draco by his shock of platinum hair, which admittedly was looking a little dirty, but had to squint at the other person a moment before I recognized her.  
“Pansy Parkinson?” I asked, confused.  
“Yep, it’s me.” She answered.  
Deciding it wasn’t important right now, I forgot the questions in my mind and pointed my wand at the door.  
“ _Alohamora_.”  
The door swung open and I rushed into Draco’s waiting arms. He squeezed me against him with such force I thought we might merge. I wanted to say so many things, do so many things, but I was conscious we probably didn’t have a lot of time.  
“Thank gods we found you.” I whispered into his ear, giving a final squeeze before relinquishing my grip and pointing my wand at their chains.  
“We also need to get Muffin.” Draco said.  
I looked back at him, confused. “I’m sorry?”  
“That be being me, ma’am.” A squeaky voice called from the cell over.  
Luna did the honors, opening the door with a flick of her wand. She was joined after a moment by a small House Elf. He had big flappy ears that had been clipped at the edges, and sea green, giant eyes.  
“You be needing help?” He inquired, looking up at them.  
“You magic is untraceable to us isn’t it?” I asked.  
He nodded, floppy ears flapping comically, despite the situation they were in.  
“Then get us out of here.”  
___  
We stood at the door of the safehouse. We had agreed we’d meet back here, when all was over. I glanced at Draco and he squeezed my hand. If Kif and Arabella had made it, we’d see them inside. I took a deep breath, walking forward and opening the door.  
Inside, it was quiet. We all toed off our boots as quick as we could, all but running to the kitchen.  
Kif and Arabella sat at the table, heads jerking up as we slid into view in the doorway.  
“Ah!” Kif exclaimed, getting up so quickly the bench scraped loudly on the floor. “You ruddy fuckers made it!” He consumed the space between us in two large strides, embracing Draco heartily.  
Arabella just grinned from ear to ear as he embraced all of us one by one. He paused at Pansy but shrugged and embraced her too, which she laughed at. He reached Muffin. Kneeling, he offered one big hand, and the House Elf took it, looking starstruck as Kif patted it fondly.  
“So, tell me all about it, and who your new friends are!” He exclaimed, rising again. “I’ll make coffee!” He said excitedly.  
I ushered Pansy and Muffin to sit at the table, grabbing some cakes and cookies from the cupboard before sliding in beside Malfoy and distributing the goods on the table.  
“The decoys worked to perfection.” Luna piped up from across me, grabbing a cookie contentedly.  
“They were chasing them for a while, and the old Weasley exploding devices only added to the chaos!” I continued. “Like you said, Luna was able to project her mind and find Draco’s thoughts. Our Disillusionment charm made the sensors at the entrance of the building go off, but as most of the Death Eaters were busy anyway, there were only around five to deal with inside.”  
“Iona really dealt with them, too.” Luna chuckled. “Wicked battle spells flying from this one’s wand.” She winked at me across the table.  
“That’s bloody amazing!” Kif exclaimed, nearly spilling the coffee pot he was magicking over. “And who are these two lovely additions to our ranks?”  
“This is Pansy Parkinson; we went to school together.” Draco provided. “And this is Muffin, we met down in the cells.”  
“But how about you guys?” I asked, itching to know what had happened.  
“Well…” He paused for dramatic effect. “We did it.”  
“Nagini is dead?” Draco asked, as though unable to believe it.  
“That cold-blooded horcrux is no more.” Arabella chimed in with her reedy voice.  
“Arabella chopped her head off herself.” Kif chuckled.  
They exchanged a few more explanations before I felt Malfoy shift next to me.  
“Wait a minute. Where’s Pippa?” He asked, tinge of panic in his voice.  
“She’s upstairs.” I answered. “She…hasn’t woken up since you got caught.”  
“I should go see her then.” He replied, voice stoic.  
“I’ll show Pansy and Muffin their rooms then.” I responded, following him to the kitchen doorway.  
He nodded, slipping a finger under my chin and kissing me tenderly, not caring who saw. “I need you.” He whispered against my lips.  
“Soon.” I answered, giving his hand a squeeze.  
He held my gaze for a moment longer, before turning and heading upstairs.  
I turned back to the kitchen where Pansy and Muffin were just getting up from the table.  
“Shall I show you around?” I motioned to them. They joined me. “So, the room we walked past near the entrance is the living room, but to be honest we hardly ever use it. Usually, we’re in the kitchen or…” I paused until we reached the door. “The library.”  
We continued to the stairs. “There’s one downstairs loo, and the rooms and other loos are all upstairs. There’s two vacant rooms on this landing, those can be yours.” I walked down the corridor, opening up the two doors that faced each other at the end.  
Pansy walked into one room, but Muffin stood in the corridor.  
“Don’t you want to go in?” I asked.  
“This be my room ma’am?” He squeaked, pale.  
“Is it not to your liking?” I inquired, confused as to why he looked so mortified.  
“No, miss, ma’am I mean, it’s just I’ve never be having a room all to meself ma’am.” He stuttered out, stumbling to the room.  
“Well, here’s to your first solo room then.” I smiled. “You can decorate it however you see fit, and if you need anything just let us know.”  
I heard Muffin sniff from where he was standing, back turned to me.  
“Thank you ma’am. It be meaning a lot to Muffin.”  
“It’s our pleasure. I’ll leave you to settle in.” I smiled at him as he turned tear-glossy eyes towards me.  
“Everything alright Pansy?” I asked, sticking my head around the doorframe.  
“Iona, is it?” She responded, sitting on the end of the bare bed.  
“Er, yes. We had a few classes together sometimes.” I answered, leaning against the wall.  
“I remember vaguely yes. Thanks, I’m fine. But I don’t have a wand to conjure any things with.”  
“Oh right.” I pulled out mine. “We’ll find you one soon. Any preferences?” I asked, waiting.  
“Just not pink.” She answered with a small smile.  
I grinned back, flicking my wand and conjuring dark emerald velvet sheets, flowy lace curtains, and too many throw pillows, all in varying earthy tones. A blanket fell into place at the foot of the bed, and a plush armchair parked itself in the corner of the room. I figured she’d need some comfort after her ordeal.  
“Thanks.” She said, looking pleased.  
“Anything else?”  
“Not at the moment, thanks.” She answered. “Maybe something to read later though?”  
“Everything in the library is yours to make use of, just remember to put it back where you took it from when you’re done.”  
I watched her eyes light up.  
“Thanks, I’ll have a look then.”  
We parted ways at the landing, her going down, me going to Pippa’s room.  
I found Malfoy there, speaking to Sam.  
“How is she?” I asked, leaning on the doorframe.  
“The same.” Sam answered, looking sad she couldn’t give better news. “If its alright with you I’m going to catch up with Kif and get some much-needed coffee.”  
“Of course.” I answered, stepping into the room as she left.  
I stepped forward, sliding my hands onto Malfoy’s shoulders.  
“I tried to probe her mind, tried to get a reaction.” He whispered.  
“I know, Luna tried too.” I sighed. “It seems all we can do is wait.”  
“Shit.” He cursed quietly. He stood. “I need a shower.”  
I nodded, following him upstairs, pulling the door to behind me.  
I sat on the bed as he undressed robotically, clearly preoccupied, frown knitting his eyebrows in the center. He stumbled into the bathroom, and I heard the water turn on. I stood, stripping off my own clothes, and followed him in. He looked surprised for a moment when he turned to see me stepping into the shower, but quickly embraced me, pulling me under the warm spray. He kissed my lips, my cheeks, the top of my head. We wordlessly cleaned each other with soap and a sponge, the water from him running grimy and dark until I had scrubbed him down and washed his hair, combing the wet tresses through with my fingers. When the water was clear, we shut it off and stepped out. I toweled myself dry, turning to find Malfoy watching me, still dripping wet. So, I toweled him too, finishing with his platinum hair, which came out ruffled and very cute looking. I threw the towel to the side, forgotten, and reached for his hand, pulling him back into the bedroom. As we reached it, he lagged, pulling out his arm in an arch so I turned, also arm extended.  
His eyes took me in, fully naked in front of him. “Gods I never thought I’d live to be lucky enough to see this.” He mumbled.  
“Ditto.” I answered, smiling softly as he met my gaze. I felt no shame in the way he analyzed my form.  
“I know it was only a few days, but it felt like a lifetime. I…feel like I know who I am now.”  
“A courageous wizard that risks everything to keep his friends safe?” I inquired, stepping closer. “A handsome man that missed me?” I paused in front of him. “The man that will end this nightmare once and for all, with all us by his side?”  
His eyes caught mine. “All of that and more.” He whispered on my lips, before kissing me, featherlight.  
I melted against him, adoring the way our skin felt, naked against each other. I noticed, with a flip of my stomach, the rigidity between us, bumping against my stomach as I deepened the kiss, standing on my tippytoes to wrap my arms around his neck. His large hands slid over my waist and settled on my hips for a breath, before sliding down again, grasping the tender flesh of my backside, pulling me harder against him. Somehow, we were at his bed now, my calves bumping the soft fabric, and I was losing my balance, falling back into the duvet. He stood above me, gorgeous, angelic looking, very evidently aroused.  
“Iona, are you alright with this?” He asked, bending to kiss between my breasts, then tilting his head to look at my face, waiting for my ok.  
“Why don’t you put those beautiful fingers between my legs and find out?” I asked breathily.  
His grey eyes flashed, and I swear the tips of his ears turned pink. But he did just that, sliding his fingers between my labia to find me wet and willing. He let out a groan, mouth falling to one of my nipples, one finger slipped inside me.  
I arched my back, grasping his wet hair as he laved his tongue over my skin, finger pumping in a lazy rhythm, soon to be joined by another, which he stretched apart, scissoring them, then curling them to bump against an especially sensitive point that made me buck my hips up against the heel of his palm.  
“Please.” I begged, meeting his gaze.  
He nodded, catching my lips once more before pulling me towards him, grasping his cock and bracing himself over me with a hand on the bed. He paused only to look at me again, before moving, pushing in in a maddeningly slow pace. Everything in me wanted to protest, but I knew he was doing it so he wouldn’t hurt me, allowing my body time to adjust to his girth. He buried himself to the hilt, pausing.  
“Gods Iona.” He whispered, hair falling forward to frame his face. He bent to place open-mouthed kisses on my neck. “I just want to fuck you into this mattress as hard as I can.” His words near my ear made me shiver and grasp his arms.  
“Go for it.” I whispered back, nipping at his ear.  
“Fuck.” He chuckled, beginning to move inside me, first slow, then fast like he promised, and soon all I could hear in the room were his groans, my moaning, and the rapid slapping of skin together as he fucked me senseless. His hands came to my waist, holding me in place, and mine found his hips, nails digging into his skin, egging him on. There were so many things I wanted to try with him, but I knew that now was not the time. Now, we both needed to confirm this feeling, to consummate whatever each other was willing to offer. To do it hard and fast, and with an overflow of passion.  
He lifted my hips now, so my weight shifted onto my shoulders and the new angle of his thrusts made me call out his name along with a sting of profanities.  
“That’s it Iona, you’re mine, and I am yours.” He growled above me, eyes shining beautifully with lust and love.  
Love?  
I didn’t have time to dwell on that particular thought, as his fingers found my clit, the added pressure too much, all I could feel was him, and I came undone, shaking violently as I rode the waves of my orgasm, eyes rolling back into my head, only knowing Malfoy had followed me in climax due to the hot spurts of cum I could feel inside me, his now erratic pace and his voiced words.  
“Oh, fuck Iona, fuck, Gods.” He cursed, collapsing nearly on top of me, only held up by his arms. “Merlin you feel like nirvana.”  
I grinned, threading my hands back into his hair, now also damp from sweat. “Stop stealing my lines.”  
He chuckled, reluctantly removing himself from inside me and rolling to the side, placing a kiss on the shoulder closest to him.  
“Fuck.” I said, turning my head to look at him. “I knew I must be missing out on decent sex by the way people talked about it.”  
“Decent?” He cried indignantly.  
“Passable.” I jested.  
“Shut up.” He chuckled. “If passable makes your eyes roll back like you’re possessed, I’d hate to see what great sex did.” He jibed, smirking.  
I slapped his shoulder “Draco! Did I look that terrible?”  
“Never terrible, love. Always searingly sexy, my little witch.” He finished, kissing my nose.  
“Good answer.” I grumbled, turning to face him and snuggling up to his side.  
He slid an arm around me, pulling me close.  
“Why did we wait so long to do that?” He asked, tone of jest under his breath.  
“I don’t know, something about one of us needing a moral compass.” I nudged him.  
“What an idiot.”  
We chuckled, content to lie in one another’s arms.


	22. Just Another Night Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Malfoy rose his hand, knocking twice on the door. A moment went by, then it cracked open, and a house elf’s large eyes slid into view. “What be your business here good sir?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter out! I've been kind of busy and frankly uninspired. Hope you enjoy it!  
> xx

“Hi Pansy.” I greeted as I joined her in the library.  
“Oh, hi Iona. All ok?” She was holding a copy of The Once and Future King.  
“All good. You?” I smiled, sitting next to her in a chair.  
“It still feels weird, you know, to be here.” She admitted.  
“It’s alright to not feel ok, even though you’re now safe.” I answered.  
“We’re not really safe until he’s gone though, are we?” She mumbled, looking out the window.  
“True enough, I guess. But here we can at least relax for a moment.” I affirmed. “We all need to get some respite. Catch our breath before we do this.”  
She met my gaze. “When that time comes, count me in.”  
I nodded. “We’ll need ever willing wand.” I answered. “Speaking of which, we need to get you and Malfoy new wands.”  
Kif poked his head in. “Breakfast is served, if you’d like some.”  
“Would I ever.” I answered. I stood, looking back at Pansy. She looked unsure. “Come on, Kif’s breakfasts are legendary.”  
She smiled and followed me out.  
Luna smiled at me knowingly as I slid in next to Malfoy at the table and I widened my eyes at her. _What?_  
 _Nothing._ She answered. I could hear the amusement in her mind-voice.  
“Coffee?” I asked her pointedly.  
“Lovely.” She answered, pushing her cup forward.  
Malfoy slid his hand onto my thigh under the table, giving it a little squeeze. I nudged him with my foot in response, reaching for some toast and trying to ignore Luna’s smile.  
“We’re gonna need some intel.” Kif stated, biting into his toast.  
“You want us to go out again?” Malfoy asked.  
“You know the terrain the best.” Kif affirmed. “It’s going to be risky. With Nagini gone, no doubt everyone is on edge. But the Death Eaters will still come out to play.”  
“Tonight?” I inquired, worried about Malfoy’s energy levels. He’d only just gotten back.  
“Tomorrow night. Just thought I’d let you know ahead of time.” Kif confirmed, sipping some coffee.  
“Cheers.” Malfoy answered. “Where’s it at?”  
“The same place you rescued Luna from.” Kif answered, smiling at the mentioned girl.  
“Nice, we can go through my place.” Malfoy said, grabbing another piece of toast. “What intel are we looking for?”  
“Anything concerning our favorite dark lord. Especially anything concerning his whereabouts. In the meantime, Luna and I will visit some of our supply drops, and see if we can talk to someone who might be able to…help Pippa.”  
We chatted a while longer, conversation turning to slightly less serious topics and yet we could all feel it. That underlying anxiety, the knowledge that we’d be facing our largest fear yet again, and soon.  
____  
“You ready?” Draco asked me, eyeing me up and down from where he stood in front of his Vanishing Cabinet. He tucked the new wand we'd managed to find him into his coat pocket.  
“As I’ll ever be.” I answered, straightening out the dress I was wearing.  
We stepped into the cabinet together, waiting for the faint pop, before opening the doors up and stepping out into Malfoy’s house. He caught my hand as I went to walk past him.  
“We need to be extra careful.” His eyes betrayed his worry.  
I stepped up to him, placing my free hand on his chest and leaning up for a kiss. He returned it, and we stood there, lips locked for a moment. Wordlessly, we stepped out together, following the stairs down. Before we left the front door, we both took out Polyjuice potions, clinking them together and downing them. We rode out the transformation, stepping out the door, now a brown- and black-haired couple, features nothing like our own.  
We were silent as we made our way to our destination, both lost in thought. I could feel the vibration of music in the air as we approached a small, black door, from behind which warm light was bleeding.  
Malfoy rose his hand, knocking twice on the door. A moment went by, then it cracked open, and a house elf’s large eyes slid into view. “What be your business here good sir?”  
“We’ve heard there is a performance tonight, we’d like to see it.” Malfoy answered calmly, toning down his voice to be slightly deeper.  
A hesitation for a moment then: “All right sir, ma’am. Glorious is our dark lord.”  
“May he reign forever.” Malfoy responded immediately.  
I had to keep myself from looking at him inquisitively. He’d obviously been here before, when Luna found him, so he knew the catch phrases. Luckily, he pulled me through the door into a smoky, small club. It wasn’t at full capacity, but it wasn’t lacking for customers either. A female goblin tended the bar, dressed in a revealing gold onesie, and the deep house music beat against my skin. It looked for all the world like a bar you’d see in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic movie, bar the neon lighting. Here, the lighting was warm, coming from floating flame jars.  
Malfoy weaved us through the crowd, finding us a table near the back, a bit out the way, but not too far from the door if we needed to get out. As soon as we sat, a young woman sauntered up, floating pen and paper next to her. Her chest was bare except for some gold paint covering her nipples, perfect skin marred only by a huge scar across her chest, ending near her right hip. A werewolf.  
“What’ll it be handsome?” She directed her question solely at Malfoy.  
I bristled but remained quiet.  
“Do you have any good red wine?” He asked, surprising me. “Is that good for you, lovely?” He asked me.  
I nodded, regaining my composure and sliding a hand onto his thigh.  
“We have a wine from vampire vineyards.” The woman answered, clearly displeased at the placement of my hand.  
 _Mine, bitch._  
“Hopefully no blood mixed in, right?” Malfoy joked, and I tittered along in accordance. “That’ll do just fine, bring us a bottle and two glasses if you please.”  
The waitress nodded and smiled prettily, hastening off to fetch our order.  
“Goyle is here tonight.” Malfoy whispered in my ear, sliding an arm around the back of my chair. I could smell his cologne.  
“Don’t let him sniff you then.” I joked.  
Malfoy didn’t answer though, too busy scanning the crowd. The waitress returned with our wine, and Malfoy paid her, tipping generously, to which she giggled and smiled sultrily, and I tried not to scowl.  
“So, who here are we eavesdropping on tonight?” I asked, leaning into him.  
“You see the large group over there playing poker?”  
“Please don’t tell me you’re cutting into the game?”  
He chuckled. “No, they all cheat anyway. But like I mentioned to the doorman, there will be a show a little later. If they still have the same tendencies as before, they will move exactly in front of us for it. It’s unofficially ‘their’ seats.”  
“What kind of performance is it?” I asked.  
“Well, a strip.”  
“Who knew Death Eaters were so damn promiscuous.” I remarked drily.  
Malfoy chose not to answer, instead sipping his wine. He looked a bit guilty, and for a moment I wondered how much like them he’d been. But it didn’t matter, we all had a past. We fell into the ease of small talk, just in case anyone might overhear us. We were halfway through our bottle when the group at the poker table rose almost in unison, packing up their winning and making their way to the large table in front of us, not sparing us so much as a glance. Fingers snapped, and waitresses scurried to fulfill orders.  
“Does it start soon?” I whispered.  
“Now.” Malfoy answered, grip tightening behind my back as he focused his ears on the group in front of him.  
As if on cue, the music slowed into a sultry tone and half of the flame jars extinguished, and what looked like a magical spotlight shone onto a silver-haired woman. I knew right away from her looks she was veela, and apparently so did everyone else, because an uproar of cheers and catcalls started. Her red-painted lips quirked up at the reaction, and she began to dance, weaving sinuously between tables and groups, sometimes stopping for short lap dances, ever so carefully and gradually slipping bits of her flowy dress down and away off her alabaster skin. When she reached where we were, her top half had all but gone, only one piece still clinging onto her bust precariously. She seemed to spot Malfoy and made her way over, hips sinuously going this way and that, until she was in front of him, dropping that last bit of top fabric and slipping onto his lap. He responded, weaving his free arm around her waist, which she used as an anchor as she bent backwards, beautiful silken hair pooling on the floor as she moved to the hypnotic rhythm. Everyone in the group in front of us was turned to stare, jealousy flaring in their eyes, and I couldn’t help but imagine I looked much the same. I fumed internally as she came back up, placing her hand on his shoulders and finally standing, turning to the group in front and sauntering into their waiting arms.  
“Enjoy yourself?” I snapped angrily.  
“Now is not the time, Iona.” He warned, attention back on the group.  
I squashed my anger, listening as well.  
“-what happened, but the Dark Lord won’t talk about it.” Conversation floated our way now that the veela girl had moved on to the other side of the room.  
“But the snake is dead?”  
“That’s what they are saying. Yaxley didn’t survive.”  
“He was a creep anyway.”  
The veela girl wound her way back around to the group, now fully naked, claiming one of their laps before the music ended. Applause erupted from the crowd, and begrudgingly, I joined. She was good at what she did, I had to give her that. The music reverted to the original, and waitresses spilled out into the crowds again, taking drink orders, some getting pulled onto laps.  
One of the men from the group in front stood, arm around the veela girl. He smiled creepily at his friends and stumbled off with her to a hidden room behind a red curtain. With the distraction gone, the men started to talk again.  
“So, is what they say true? That the Dark Lord has…what the hell were they called?”  
“Horcruxes. Yeah, seems so. The Potter boy destroyed most of them, but couldn’t get Nagini.”  
“Shit, so that means?”  
“Our Lord is no longer immortal.”  
A hush fell over them again as a waitress came to take their orders. As soon as she left, they resumed.  
“Still wouldn’t ever want to fight him.”  
“Fuck no. All I want to do tonight is have some good drinks and have a go at the veela wench.”  
A collective laugh. I felt sick.  
“Where’s he shacked up then?”  
We both pricked our ears forward, waiting for the information we knew we’d come for.  
“You know the mansion in the center of London?”  
“That shithole near Hyde Park?”  
“Fuck if you call that a shithole, I’m never having you over for dinner.”  
“Fuck you, your wife loves me, can’t deprive her of excellent company-”  
We tuned out. We had the information. I looked at Malfoy.  
“We’ll finish the bottle.” He affirmed, pouring me another glass.  
I nodded, and we drank our wine, trying to not look like all we wanted to do was make a run for it. When it was empty, we both rose, locking hands so we didn’t lose each other in the crowd, and we were suddenly out of it, at the door, where the house elf gave us our coats, and squeaked a good night, and we were free, out on the street again. I gulped some fresh air, lungs feeling raw from the smoke.  
“Sir!”  
We both froze. We were so close to getting away. Malfoy turned back and I followed suit.  
It was the waitress, jogging elegantly (who the hell manages to jog elegantly anyway?!) up to us.  
“I thought I might have missed you sir, but I wanted to give you something.” She batted her eyelashes, acting as though I wasn’t there. She reached out, sliding a piece of paper into the front pocket of Malfoy’s jacket. Giggling, she turned and ran back to the warmth of the club.  
Malfoy jerked me around, pulling me down the street as fast as I could accompany him in these stupid heels.  
“So, are you going to call her?” I jibed.  
It was a low blow, I knew, but the stress and half a bottle of wine had fried my judgement.  
He whirled back, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk.  
“What?”  
I vaguely noticed he was starting to look more himself again, and I wondered if I was too.  
“Well, she seemed pretty keen. So did the veela to be honest.”  
He scoffed, pulling me down an alley as people started to stare at us, sending out wards behind us so no one would follow. We turned a corner, finding an empty alley going perpendicular. He cast a muffling spell, whirling back to me.  
“You want to do this here?”  
“Yes, I do.” I retorted, heart hammering both from the fright of being called as we left, and the annoyance with Draco. “You didn’t seem too put off by either of their advances.”  
“Fuck, Iona, what did you want me to do? Throw the veela off my lap into an unceremonious heap at my feet? Tell the waitress to fuck off?”  
“That would have been great, thanks!” I retorted.  
“In case _you_ -” he stepped into my space, making me back up until my back met brick wall. “- haven’t noticed, the Death Eaters circle is highly misogynistic, men-oriented. If I were, as a supposed Death Eater, to say no to them so blatantly, we’d have had a lot more trouble than a waitress chasing me down to give me her stupid fucking number.” He pulled the paper out, ripping it and throwing it up. “There, gone, what more can I do?”  
I remained quiet for a moment. I was both slightly scared and insanely turned on by angry Malfoy. “I don’t know.” I finally answered.  
His eyes met mine, then dipped to my mouth. Suddenly he was crushing me up against the wall, lips ravenous on mine, hands gripping at the silky fabric of my dress.  
“What happened to being careful?” I asked breathily as he undid his belt.  
“Fuck that.” He managed to say before casting a few more protective spells and shoving his wand into he back pocket of his jeans, which were now hanging open at his hips, an enticing path of blonde hair peeking out.  
 _He isn’t wearing any god damn underwear._  
My mind turned into jelly as his hands found my hips, lifting me up and pinning me against the wall properly, my own hands fumbling to divest myself of my underwear. He got impatient and ripped the fabric off me, tongue finding my pulse at my throat as he grinded into me, the texture of jean on my sensitive skin enough to make me squirm.  
“I don’t care about any other damn woman.” He growled into my neck, nipping me with gentle teeth.  
He reached between us, freeing himself, and he fucked me right there, in a dark alleyway, spells muffling our noises of ecstasy.


	23. To War, My Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I stood next to Pippa’s bed, staring down at her seemingly peaceful expression. The wildflowers I had picked sat in a colorful bundle on her bedside table.  
> “We’re going to fix this sweetheart. I promise you that.”  
> I leaned down, giving her a kiss on the forehead, heading downstairs to meet the others, but not before glancing back at her tiny form one more time. This time, it filled me not with sadness, but with a burning rage for those who had harmed her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this has take soooo long to come out, I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!  
> xx

I woke feeling hungover. Well, my eyes were dry, and my tongue felt like sandpaper, probably from all the smoke in the club last night. My legs felt like jelly still. Draco had piggybacked me home last night after we had finished. Between the wine, the orgasms, and the damn heels, I couldn’t walk properly anymore.  
I rolled over, finding the bed empty beside me. I frowned, rolling out of bed this time. I made my way to the bathroom, conjuring toothpaste and a toothbrush and washing my face. Feeling better, I peeked into Draco’s small office.  
“Hey.” I said quietly.  
He looked up from his book. “Morning gorgeous.” He turned the chair, motioning for me to sit on his lap.  
I complied, wrapping one arm around his shoulders as I did. “Sorry.” I mumbled.  
“For what?” He asked, feigning innocence.  
I sighed. “For being an asshole last night.”  
He planted a kiss on my neck. “Don’t worry, good things came of it.” He chuckled.  
“Can’t argue with that.” I laughed with him. “But seriously.”  
He met my gaze. “I know, pet.”  
I leaned in to kiss him.  
“You taste like mint.” He mumbled against my lips, hand coming up my back to push me closer.  
“Better than whatever I tasted like when I woke up.” I joked, placing my free hand on his collarbone.  
“Still would have kissed you.” He mumbled, moving until my hand rested around his throat. I squeezed slightly and his eyes flashed. “Your legs working fine today?”  
I tightened my grip, pushing his head back. “Fuck you.” I grinned.  
“Would you like to?” He asked, grinning back.  
“Can I tell you something and you won’t laugh?” I said, biting my lip.  
“Go on.” He said curiously.  
“I’ve…I’ve day-dreamed of you having me up against your desk. This desk.” I whispered, afraid of his reaction.  
“Fuck.” He breathed. “Why do you do this to me, wicked woman?” He complained, pushing against my hand to close the distance between us, lips sliding over mine. We kissed for a moment before I stood, reaching for his hands and pulling him up after me. His eyes were dark as he place his hands on the desk at either side of me. “And in this fantasy, do I have you like this?” He whispered against my lips.  
I shook my head, twirling in the small space between us and looking back at him, my hip bones now pressed against the table. He looked at me hungrily, gaze dipping to where the t-shirt I was wearing was pulling up over my ass. His hands came away from the wood of the table, pulling up the fabric further and smoothing his hands around my hips, warm and strong. He leaned into me, fabric of his fresh jeans reminding me of the sensations of last night. I moaned low in my throat and he nipped at the sensitive flesh on my shoulder, kissing the nape of my neck, making his way down my back, kissing then biting, and suddenly kneeling behind me, pressing my legs open and burying his face against my core.  
I gasped, falling forward onto the desk as his tongue lathed over my clit, fingers delving between my labia and into me, pumping in a beautiful rhythm. Just as I felt I was going to come undone, he stopped, standing up behind me and wrenching his jeans off, and pushing inside me. I groaned at the feeling of fullness, and came up into his coaxing hands as he wrapped them, one arm around my stomach, hand settling at the top of my abdomen, thumb resting on my sternum, the other coming up and grasping my throat in a firm but controlled grip. He began to move, coming nearly all the way out and then thrusting back in, the desk rocking beneath our efforts, a few stray pieces of paper slipping sideways as his rhythm increased. I could feel his hot breath on the back of my neck as he panted my name like a mantra. His thrusts were getting irregular and I knew he was getting close. I tried to chase my own orgasm but too soon I felt him release, teeth sunk into the flesh on my shoulder as he groaned.  
“You alright?” He asked against my skin.  
“Yeah.” I answered, trying to regain my breath.  
“You didn’t?” The question hung in the air as he stepped back.  
I turned to face him again, cheeks pink. “No, but it’s ok.”  
He looked a little confused. “Do you want me to…?”  
“How about I do, and you…watch?” I negotiated  
He nodded, swallowing. “I’ll just…sit.” He muttered, reaching behind him blindly to find the chair.  
I hoisted myself up onto his desk, putting one foot up on it too, reaching between my legs. His eyes flitted between where my fingers moved, to my face, then my chest, where he could no doubt see the hardness of my nipples poking at the fabric.  
“Fuck, Iona, you’re so beautiful.” He breathed, leaning forward. “Can I touch you at all?”  
“Come here.” I said, waiting for him to approach. “Of course, you can touch me, just let me do this part now, okay?”  
He nodded, leaning into me again, lips connecting to my throat, one hand coming up to cup my breast through my shirt. I threw my head back as he flicked a finger over my nipple, the added friction of my shirt delicious. With his added stimulation I found my rhythm and could feel the pressure building between my legs, my lower abdomen clenching. His mouth left my neck and closed, wet and hot, over my other nipple, through the fabric. I jerked at the new sensation, but wanted more.  
“Without my shirt.” I breathed. He complied, lifting it so it rested above my breasts, and leaned down again, mouth finding my nipple again. The skin-on-skin contact was enough to finish off my climb and I came undone, finally, under his tongue and my fingers, shaking against him as he held me.  
He placed a kiss on my sternum, flipping my shirt back down. He kissed me on the lips and then my forehead. “Did I do anything wrong?” He whispered.  
“Why, because I didn’t come right away?”  
He nodded. He looked contrite.  
“Draco, you did everything right, trust me. It’s just well, sometimes women get…overstimulated and it just doesn’t happen unless we’re doing it, because we can feel exactly how much or how little we need.” I slid off his desk, standing in front of him. “You did the right thing, lover.”  
He looked relieved. “Good. I just want you to know that if that ever changes, you tell me.”  
“Right back at you.” I smiled.  
“And please…don’t ever bloody stop telling me about your fantasies.” He grinned at me mischievously.  
“That, you can count on.” I chuckled.  
We sobered a moment as we looked at one another.  
“We should probably get back.” Malfoy admitted.  
I nodded. I knew we both felt almost as if in this house, the world was too far away to matter. But then I remember Pippa’s sleeping form. Feeling mildly guilty, I followed Draco out to his room, dressing quickly in a set of slouchy clothes that I had brought over last night, and stepping into the cabinet with him. He looked at me as the doors closed.  
“When this is all over, we’re spending a week here, minimum.”  
Pop.  
“Deal, as long as you make pancakes every morning.”  
“Small price to pay for bliss.” He said in a sing-song voice as we stepped out into his room at the safehouse.  
We found Kif, Arabella, Pansy, and Muffin in the kitchen.  
“Ah, there you two are.” Kif greeted as we joined them at the table.  
“Coffee for ma’am and sir?” Muffin asked, already halfway to the kitchen.  
“Uh, sure, thanks Muffin. There’s no need for the ma’am and sir titles, we’re just Iona and Draco.” I answered, smiling at the house elf as he looked at me funny, and then smiled himself.  
“So, do we have information?” Kif asked, levity in his voice but not his gaze.  
“A mansion near Hyde Park.” Malfoy answered, resting his elbows on the table, chin on his interlocked hands. “They didn’t talk much more about it, but just before we left, we heard that there are wizards stationed everywhere on the surrounding rooftops. It’ll be difficult to get in.”  
“Shite.” Kif mumbled under his breath.  
“We’ll need to get eyes on the neighborhood.” Arabella piped up from beside me.  
“How the hell are we getting past all those guards though?” I lamented, accepting the coffee that Muffin presented.  
“We’ll need to take them out before we dare approach the building. That or…we come from below?” Pansy mused.  
I nearly choked on my drink. “Pansy! That’s brilliant. There’s hundreds of underground passages in London. I’m sure there must be some under Hyde Park.”  
“He might have those covered too.” Kif said.  
“I’m sure he will, but it’s much easier to keep commotion under wraps in a sewer than it is to do it out in the open.” Arabella agreed.  
“If we’re in sewers, what’s more commonplace than rats? If we can transfigure ourselves, we can get the drop on anyone there.” Malfoy added.  
“I suck at transfiguration.” Pansy groaned.  
“We’ll tutor you for the next week, but I don’t think we should wait longer than that. The more time Voldemort has to recover, the worse it will be for us.” Malfoy replied, sipping his coffee. “If you can’t master it, we’ll think of something else.”  
We all fell silent for a moment.  
“Did you have any luck finding someone that might help Pippa?” I asked, dreading the answer.  
Kif looked stricken. “We asked around, but no one had any forthcoming information.”  
I swore under my breath. “Where’s Luna by the way?”  
“She’s out in the greenhouse.” Kif answered.  
“I’m going to go join her. Need to clear my head.” I said, standing.  
Malfoy looked up at me. “I need to have a chat with Kif. I’ll see you in a bit.”  
I nodded, bending slightly to kiss his forehead before smiling at the rest of them and heading for the door.  
I found Luna in the greenhouse, her long wispy hair loose and billowing down her shoulders. She looked beautiful, her green dress blending with the foliage. I stood and watched her tend the seedlings for a moment, before she looked up and spotted me.  
“Oh, Iona, hello.” She smiled.  
“Sorry, didn’t mean to creep.” I apologized, ducking inside the glass walls. “You look very pretty among the seedlings.” I laughed.  
“Oh, thank you kindly Iona.” She cleaned her hands in some water, getting all the dirt off except that which was under her nails. She didn’t seem bothered as she dried her hands on the small apron she was wearing. “How did things go?”  
I stepped forward, pinching some straying offshoots from a broccoli plants. It felt good to feel the soft green leaves with my fingertips. It felt even better to dig my hands into soil as I transplanted a particularly vivacious one to a bigger pot.  
“They went well. Hyde Park is our mark.”  
She frowned but for a moment. “That won’t be easy.”  
“Pansy, brilliantly, reminded us of the fact that London is rife with underground passages. We’ll go in from under.”  
“How intelligent.” She replied, handing me the watering can.  
We both busied ourselves then to finish the tasks inside the greenhouse in quiet complicity. When we finished inside, we headed to the orchard to make sure the trees were still looking healthy, and to pick a few remaining handfuls of fruit. Luna, to my surprise, pacified the pixies with ease, handing them sugar cube treats and allowing them to grasp locks of her hair as she worked. They seemed mightily pleased to hold it, and painted a funny picture, Luna standing there with a halo of hair and pixies. She bid them farewell as we left, and I swear they waved.  
We stopped on the way back to pick up the two pumpkins that had braved the cold outside. I glanced once more at the greenhouse before we followed the path up, watching the tiny patch of wildflower mix sway in the breeze that magically conjured itself every once in a while, to keep the greenhouse air from being too stagnant.  
“Wait Luna, I forgot something.”  
_____

I stood next to Pippa’s bed, staring down at her seemingly peaceful expression. The wildflowers I had picked sat in a colorful bundle on her bedside table, the setting sun coloring them sepia.  
“We’re going to fix this sweetheart. I promise you that.”  
I leaned down, giving her a kiss on the forehead, heading downstairs to meet the others, but not before glancing back at her tiny form one more time. This time, it filled me not with sadness, but with a burning rage for those who had harmed her.

“Well, here we are yet again, my friends.” Kif stated solemnly.  
We all stood in the kitchen, tightening harnesses, checking wands, tightening capes. Only Arabella and Muffin were in normal clothing. Arabella had complained bitterly about not going, but Malfoy had convinced her to stay by telling her someone needed to stay with Pippa in case she woke or we didn’t return. Muffin had offered his services once, but we had agreed it would be better for him to stay with them in case they needed a quick escape if someone attacked. He had seemed happy with our idea. Everything felt more volatile now, and even though we had all taken every precaution to keep this location safe, we still didn’t know if it was, what with how desperate Voldemort must be.  
I swallowed my rising anxiety as Kif briefed us on the plan. I quietly reached for Malfoy’s hand and he squeezed my fingers in return, stilling their shaking.  
“We’re doing this for everyone, muggles, magic-folk, other magic beings-” he nodded towards Muffin, who gave him a slightly watery smile. “but also for Pippa, for her mother…”  
“For my parents.” I added quietly. Malfoy’s hand shook, but I squeezed it tighter. It wasn’t his fault.  
“For Harry.” Arabella piped up, voice tight.  
“For all those who lost their lives at Hogwarts.” Luna said, tightening a brace on her arm and slipping her wand down it’s length.  
“For anyone that’s been brave enough to stand up to him, and all those who couldn’t be, but perished all the same.” Pansy affirmed.  
“Courage, my dear friends, for tonight we face evil himself.” Kif stated, raising a glass of firewater.  
“And though we do, I take comfort in knowing it is in good company.” I rose my own glass.  
“If we should fail, let it not be in vain, we will take out as many of the bastards as we can.” Pansy joined.  
“We may not see dawn, but we will see to it that neither do those fucking Death Eaters.” Malfoy rose his glass to meet ours.  
“I hope we all meet again, after this, or in the afterlife.” Luna said in her wispy voice, raising her arm.  
“Fuck Voldemort.” Arabella said in her reedy voice, and we laughed.


	24. When Death Itself Is Deafeated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “If I ever see you again, I will make you rue the day you were born. Do you understand?” Malfoy’s voice was frighteningly calm. He stood then, reversing the petrification spell and hoisting his old friend off the floor. “Get out of my sight, Goyle.”  
> Malfoy's old friend didn’t say anything, stumbling past us with wide eyes. I watched him, gaze falling to where his wands reached under his robes –  
> “Avada Kedavra!” A flash of green.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Into the jaws of the beast they go...

We arrived at the gate we needed in order to access the right tunnel.  
“Everyone clear on the plan?” Kif’s dialogue was short and to the point now we were out in the open.  
We all nodded, taking out our wands. Luna, Kif, Malfoy and I were soon small, squeaking rats. Pansy collected up our wands from the ground, casting a cloaking spell over herself, and breaking the lock on the gate we had already slipped through. We had agreed over the past week that it would be safest to have only Pansy cloaking, as a group of people cloaking would be spotted a lot more easily if moving, plus she could hold on to our wands as we forged ahead.  
Being a rat was an odd feeling. I felt like I was way too big for the skin I currently inhabited. My vision was restricted, and I quickly learned to rely on my sense of smell and touch to make my way through the murky water and slick cement of the tunnel.  
Surprisingly, we had almost reached the nearest exit door to the house before we met any resistance. I saw rat-Luna pause in front of me, before turning back to us and pointing with her tiny paw to the right, where the tunnel forked and I could just make out the faint glow of a fire. We sneaked up quietly, peering around the corner to see how many there were. I could feel Pansy slowing to a stop behind us.  
Four Death Eaters stood and sat around the fire, chatting and laughing. Suddenly, a big orange rat surged forward, and I reacted accordingly, using all the tiny power my limbs could muster to reach my target, not hesitating before shooting up his pant leg and sinking my teeth into the back of his knee. I heard a multitude of screams and even with my bad eyesight, saw various green flashes, and then my target was collapsing, pant legs tightening against his calf as his leg folded, trapping me. I wiggled incessantly until I felt the fabric give a little. Pansy blinked down at me.  
I exited the pant leg, waiting for Pansy to reverse the spell on me. Soon we all stood, human in the glow of the fire. Pansy handed us each our wands.

"God, I hated that the first time, the second was not any better." Malfoy grumbled from beside me. I stifled a laugh as I realized what time he was talking about.  
“Well done lass.” Kif commended, glancing at the dead men.  
She nodded firmly.  
“Alright, this door should bring us into the alleyway just beside the house. Merlin willing, it will be clear.” Malfoy said, gripping the rungs of the stairs that led to the metal door above.  
We filed up the access, peering out into the night. It seemed quiet. Just as we were about to exit, Luna hissed and held out an arm. There, in the murky shadows, was a Death Eater. Almost as if on cue, he stepped forward into the moonlight, cigarette in his mouth giving his face a warm light. I sucked in a breath. It was Goyle. I looked around to make sure no other people were lurking in the night, before turning to Malfoy.  
“Are you ok to do this?” I whispered.  
He caught my gaze. “I’ll give him a choice.”  
Goyle fell to the floor, petrified. Malfoy fell on him, ripping the cigarette from his lips and grasping a fistful of his cloak.  
“Listen here Goyle. I am going to give you a choice.”  
Goyle’s eyes seemed to be bulging out their sockets, despite the fact that he couldn’t move much.  
“Either you disappear, and I never see your ugly face again, or I kill you, right here.” Malfoy hissed.  
There was a stifling silence in the air.  
“I…want…to…live.” Goyle managed to grunt out of his mostly frozen mouth.  
“If I ever see you again, I will make you rue the day you were born. Do you understand?” Malfoy’s voice was frighteningly calm. He stood then, reversing the petrification spell and hoisting his old friend off the floor. “Get out of my sight, Goyle.”  
Malfoy's old friend didn’t say anything, stumbling past us with wide eyes. I watched him, gaze falling to where his wands reached under his robes –  
“ _Avada Kedavra_!” A flash of green.  
I drew breath. It hadn’t hit me. I swung around to see Malfoy, wand out, pointing at Goyle. I whipped my head back to see Goyle hit the floor with a thud, lifeless.  
“He was going to alert the guards.” Malfoy’s voice pulled me out of my shock. “I…saw it in his mind.”  
I went to him, gripping his hand hard. I knew he must be torn.  
“You did what you had to.” I whispered.  
“Let’s get inside.” Luna suggested.  
We nodded, following her to the small access door that led into the house Voldemort was in. It was, funnily enough, unwarded, and once we slipped inside, unguarded.  
“Keep a watchful eye.” Kif whispered. “He might be expecting us.”  
We all nodded, catching each other’s gaze before filing in behind Kif. As soon as we stepped into the house itself, the stagnant air and cold made us all cringe. It smelled like something had died here long ago.  
The drapes were mostly drawn, casting the room into shadow. As our eyes adjusted, it was apparent that we were in some sort of grand dining room. I looked back at the door we had come from. It looked like the wall paneling. Hidden doors, how chic.  
We crept through the darkness, every tiny noise setting our nerves on end. By the time we reached a flight of stairs, anxiety was choking me. I took some deep breaths as we started up the stairs, at the top of which light was pouring out and we could hear some voices. There were no Death Eaters to be seen as we wound up the stairs until we were at the entrance to the room. A sudden wailing made us all jump. It was the wailing of someone that had lost someone.  
“Ah, I was wondering when you lot would show up.” Voldemort’s cold voice sounded.  
I felt my blood run cold.  
“Oh, do please come in. Crouching in the dark is so below you Draco.”  
I watched Malfoy stand and walk into the light, mechanically following his movements and feeling the others follow suit until we all stood, momentarily blinded, in the same room as the Dark Lord.  
I drank in the scene before me. Voldemort stood at the far end of the room, fire crackling viciously behind him. He looked tired and his face was sunken. A window next to him was open, curtains billowing in the wind like phantoms. Between him and us, a woman lay crumpled on the floor, sobbing. With a jolt, I realized it was Mary. She cradled someone in her arms. She shifted, gaze falling on us. Her eyes were hauntingly empty. I looked down, now able to see the body she held so close to her. It was a young boy, his blond hair flecked with dark spots of blood, skin deathly pale, lips blue, a nasty, jagged gash on his throat seeping red liquid.  
“My boy.” She whimpered. “My beautiful boy is dead.” She looked back at Voldemort “You promised!!” She shrieked so loudly it must have ruined her throat. She wailed again, and my stomach lurched as I realized Voldemort was smiling.  
A movement from the corner of the room alerted me to two Death Eaters. Other than that, we seemed to be alone.  
“So, Draco, finally come to meet your maker, have you?” Voldemort sneered.  
“You were nothing ever, but my undoing.” Malfoy spat out.  
“Ah yes, well. Some bend, some break.” He mocked.  
“Some come back stronger than ever.” Luna countered from beside me, voice fiercer than I’d ever heard it.  
Voldemort’s sneer lost some of its energy. “I see you brought your friends here to die too. Never could face anything without help.”  
“I wouldn’t face death with anybody else but the people that stand here. I feel sorry for you, that yours stand by you only out of fear.” Malfoy answered, grip on his wand tightening.  
“Fear sharpens the mind.” He answered, suddenly reaching for his wand. It was if time moved too slowly and too fast all at the same time.  
I saw the two Death Eaters surge forward and automatically flung a spell at one of them, hitting her in the shoulder and sending her wand arm arching upwards along with her spell, roof collapsing under the attack, shrouding them in dust. A spell shot out from the cloud, hitting someone behind me as I turned back to Voldemort, arm poised to cast the killing curse. The green shot out towards Malfoy and my heart stopped.  
The spell hit flesh and the blinding flash stunned us momentarily. I looked into Mary’s unseeing eyes, a small smile playing at her lips before she fell limp where she had blocked the spell. Before Voldemort could register what had happened, a spell shot past my ear, hitting him square in the chest.  
A few more spells flew, two of which hit Voldemort in rapid succession. The rubble of the roof settled, dust still clogging the air.  
Draco stood next to me, gaze fixed on Voldemort’s body. His body. His snake-like features were now slack, eyes the bluey-white of the dead. The Dark Lord was dead. Draco stepped forward, crouching near the man, shocked expression on his face. I shook myself out of my stunned silence, turning to see the others. My stomach dropped. Kif was lying, head on Luna’s lap, eyes closed. Pansy held a bleeding stump where her hand should have been.  
I fell to my knees. “Is Kif?”  
“He’ll be ok.” Luna responded, expression tight. “I just knocked him out against the pain.” She tilted him then, and I saw the huge gash running from his left eyebrow to his right hip. Over his sternum, I could see bone.  
“Is it over?” Pansy asked, clearly in a state of shock.  
I quickly turned to her to administer a makeshift bandage and sling. I folded up her hand in a spare bit of cloth. With any luck, we could re-attach it with some magic.  
“The Death Eaters Dead?” I asked both the girls.  
They nodded.  
I rose, making my way towards Malfoy. On the way, I stopped at Mary’s body, closing her eyelids.  
“I understand now.” I said, fighting tears. “Thank you for your sacrifice.”  
“I can’t believe he’s actually dead.” Malfoy said shakily as I met him.  
“Just to be sure.” I stated, pulling out a blade and sinking it into his head and twisting.  
Malfoy looked at me as though I’d sprouted a second head. “This motherfucker has come back one to many times for me to trust anything anymore.” I stated.  
“He’s really gone.” I heard Pansy call from behind. “The Death Eaters’ Dark Marks have faded to scars.”  
I felt Malfoy embrace me, and I smiled.  
_____  
Never in my life had a shower felt so amazing. I felt like years of grime and sorrow were being washed away as I stood under the hot spray. Warm arms wrapped around me, holding me tight.  
“Oi, you’ll get me dirty again.” I grumbled, turning to glare up at Malfoy.  
“Guess I’ll just have to clean you off again.” He chuckled, brandishing a soap-soaked sponge.  
His touch was gentle as he passed the sponge first over my back then my front, lingering noticeably by my breasts, head dipping to my neck to lick off water droplets.  
“None of that until you’re clean too.” I protested, snatching the sponge from his hands and beginning to work on the dust he seemed to have caked on. “Did you roll around on the floor or something?”  
“Ain’t my fault the Death Eater brought the whole roof down.” He complained, muscles tensing under skin as I skirted his hips. I finished up, tossing the sponge to the corner of the shower. “No excuses now, pet.” He drawled, hands coming to the wall on either side of my head.  
I smiled, stepping forward to press my lips against his. He groaned, pushing back until my back met the cold tile. I gasped and he took advantage, slipping his tongue in and massaging it against mine. My hands came to rest on his hips, very aware of his hard cock between us.  
“Need you.” He whimpered against my lips, and all I could do was nod.  
He lifted me up against the wall, positioning himself and slowly lowering me onto his length, careful not to go to fast at first. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he buried his face in mine, teeth nipping at my skin there. I bucked my hips, indicating I was used to his size now, and he began to move, the tiles of the wall digging into my back as he thrust, but I didn’t care, the mixture of pleasure and slight pain from his teeth and the wall heady. I grasped his hair as he fucked me none too gently, letting out little noises of pleasure that thrilled me every time.  
Releasing one hand from his wet hair I reached between us, rubbing my sensitive clit as the sensations built.  
When I came it felt like every stress from the past years left my body at once. I heard Malfoy moan harshly and follow me soon after as I clenched around him. We all but fell onto the floor in a heap after that, both panting as we came back to reality.  
“You’re so goddamn beautiful.” I whispered to a still hazy-eyed Malfoy.  
He smiled lopsidedly. “Look who’s talking.”  
We finally extracted ourselves and finished washing off before stepping out and toweling ourselves dry. I walked out into his bedroom, picking up a pair of underwear and pulling them on. I felt Malfoy behind me.  
“Your back.” He lamented.  
It felt raw in some places. “Well, those tiles are pretty uneven.” I joked.  
“I’ll heal that, just sec.” He offered, grabbing his wand and muttering the spell.  
I felt my skin knit back together and sighed. “Thanks.”  
He leaned down, placing a kiss right between my shoulder blades. “My pleasure, truly.”  
I grinned at him over my shoulder as we dressed.  
“We should see how the others are getting on.” I said, stepping into his space once we were dressed and embracing him.  
He retuned the embrace, holding me as tightly as seemed possible, chin resting on the top of my head. “Luna was going to get the little dittany we have on Kif’s and Pansy’s wounds. I’m sure Arabella will be helping her wrap them up now.”  
We stood there for a moment longer, and I had never felt safer than I did then, Malfoy’s typical smell enveloping me.  
“You go check if they need help, I’ll make breakfast? It’s been a fucking long night.” I offered.  
He grunted in agreeance, planting a kiss on the top of my head before releasing me.  
“Draco?” I called as he headed towards the room that I could hear voices from.  
“Yeah?” he inquired, turning back.  
“Mary…we’re going to bury her here, right?” I asked.  
“Of course. Out near the woods?” He smiled.  
“With wildflowers growing on the grave.” I responded, heading down the stairs, smiling too.

“Kif! How are you feeling?” I greeted as he limped into the kitchen.  
“Like shit.” He responded gruffly. “But I’m alive.”  
“Malfoy should be able to finish the fresh batch of dittany this afternoon.” I said, handing him a plate of scrambled eggs and toast. “Tomatoes on the table if you want them.”  
“You’re a godsend.” He breathed, giving me a tiny nudge with his good side and moving to join Luna and Arabella at the table. Muffin skipped in next, fussing as I tried to hand him a plate too, insisting that I sit down and he finish dishing the rest, but I was having none of it. Finally, he wiped teary eyes and smiled, accepting the plate. Pansy and Malfoy arrived shortly after, chatting about dittany.  
Pansy’s hand was back in place, but still carefully wrapped and up in a sling to minimize movement until it was fully healed.  
I pushed piled plates into their hands and smiled as Malfoy gave me a peck on the lips, before spooning the rest of the eggs onto my plate and joining everyone.  
We all sat in relative silence for a moment, only speaking to ask for salt or a refill on our coffee.  
“I’m mighty proud of you lot.” Kif sniffed.  
I felt tears prick my eyes. “It feels weird to talk of normal things now. Like we have all gone too far into the maw of the beast to ever appreciate the simple things in life.” I smiled. “But I’m pretty sure we’ll give it our best shot.”  
I smiled and Arabella wiped her eyes with her sleeve, trying to be discreet. I noticed Luna holding Kif’s hand and arched an eyebrow at her without the others seeing. She shrugged and smiled.  
I couldn’t help but beam as we fell back into conversation, awkwardly at first, then enthusiastically as we realized we were free. We were actually free.

I was just reaching for another coffee refill when I heard something to my right.  
“Guys?” A small voice sounded from the doorway. “What happened?” Pippa stood there, one hand rubbing her eyes, the other clutching the flowers I had left her. “And when did the flowers have time to grow out?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone that left kudos, comments and read the story. The support from you guys has been amazing and has really kept me interested in writing this to completion.  
> Thanks again, cya next story xx


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